Guardian Angel
by Night Shade 1427
Summary: What if Naruto hadn't really been alone? With the spirit of his father and the Kyuubi by his side, things will turn out differently for Naruto as he goes on the path to becoming the Hokage and reclaiming his rightful name... MinafemKyuu;KakaIru;ShikaNaru
1. Prologue

Hi, this is my first Naruto story, so I hope it runs alright. I've had this muse running through my head for a while so I'm hoping to make it as good as I can. Feedback on it would be much appreciated so I know if I'm doing alright with it or not…

My cousin helped me beta this chapter, so hopefully all the kinks have been knocked out.

Hope you like it.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Prologue

_Through the darkness and broken glass,  
I'll come for you, if you only ask  
And there I'll stand  
Just for you._

Konoha was lit up with many festive lights as the villagers celebrated the fall of the Kyuubi five years ago. Everyone was out enjoying the activities… all except for a young orphan and the angry mob trying to murder him…

"Die, you accursed demon brat!" one of the villagers screamed out as they chased the child. He was a tiny, scrawny little thing with filthy blonde hair and pained blue eyes. He had scratches all over and he was clad in nothing but dirty rags.

He looked nothing like a demon brat.

"You'll pay for everything you've done to us!" another voice screamed, earning a frightened whimper from the fleeing boy.

"Leave me alone!" the boy wailed, his heart beating a mile a minute. He was running as fast as his short legs would allow him, running to the one place he'd always felt safe: the Yondaime's stone head.

"Don't let him get away!" a particularly malicious villager exclaimed. He'd always been particularly mean to the Jinchuuriki whenever the boy had walked around the village before but the boy hadn't expected him to actually try to _kill_ him!

'_Why are they trying to kill me? I haven't done anything to them but they all hate me!_' Naruto thought to himself, tears of fright running down his cheeks. He'd just wanted to have a little fresh air after having been cooped up in his small apartment all day. He hadn't expected people to react so violently to his presence… on his birthday, no less!

He came to a skidding halt as he arrived near the edge of the Yondaime's head. He panted harshly as his eyes widened in terror.

He had hoped to outrun the angry mob on his way to the Hokage Mountain but his hopes had proven fruitless. He shouldn't have expected to outrun them as he was…

"This is the end for you, baka kitsune!" the leader of the mob growled maliciously as they all advanced upon the helpless child, not noticing the stirring of angry chakra within the boy's stomach…

Naruto stepped back instinctively… one step too far as he found himself slipping and falling from the tip of the stone head towards the ground below.

The child's scream was silenced as his head struck the edge of the mountain before he began his descent down.

The mob cheered at their apparent victory but the cacophony halted the moment they saw a golden flash blitz past them, leaping after the falling child.

"That was - !" the leader began but his words ended in a hacking cough as he found himself impaled upon an electricity laced hand belonging to none other than the infamous Hound.

Screams filled the air as the ANBU ended the lives of the aggressors at the orders of a pissed off Sandaime.

No one noticed that Naruto's body had never met the ground and had all but vanished…

* * *

Naruto woke up to the sound of running water.

Groaning, he tried to get up but found himself pushed down against the bed.

"Rest," a baritone voice ordered softly. "You've got a bad concussion…"

"Who… who are you?" Naruto asked, unable to see anything. His eyes were so heavy… he didn't want to open them. He heard a soft chuckle.

"I'm a friend…" the man said as he cleaned the drying blood off Naruto's head. "Shh… it will be alright," he soothed the whimpering child, who didn't appreciate the sharp pain that came with the hot water meeting the nasty cut on his forehead.

"Why are you helping me?" Naruto asked distrustfully. He'd been shown nothing but hostility and hatred from all of the villagers. The only ones who showed him any kindness had been his Iruka-niichan, the Sandaime, and a strange, silver-haired masked nin that wandered the village…

"You have every right to be weary of me," the stranger mused, his voice saddening. "You haven't had an easy life… and I'm infinitely sorry for that… but I want to take care of you. That is, if you'd let me."

"You won't hurt me?" Naruto inquired in a soft, almost pleading, voice. He felt a soft, gentle caress against his cheek.

"Of course not… I'd never hurt you, little one," the man declared with conviction in his voice. "You are the one most precious to me… never forget that."

"But why? I don't even know you," Naruto said.

"You may not, Naru-chan… but I know you… from the very moment you were born," the man stated softly, running a fond hand through Naruto's blonde locks.

Naruto finally opened his eyes, coming face to face with a translucent man who looked like he was in his mid-twenties, with strikingly gold hair and loving blue eyes. Naruto was too young to notice the resemblance between the two of them but he instinctively felt safe around this stranger… something that didn't happen often in his short but lonely life.

"What do you mean?" he finally questioned. The man smiled mysteriously.

"I'll tell you when you're old enough," he promised before holding his arms out for Naruto. He wouldn't pick him up unless Naruto allowed it, something the boy appreciated greatly. Naruto hesitated for a moment before he allowed himself to be enveloped in the older man's strong arms and carried to the bathroom.

"What are you doing?" Naruto queried, cocking his head to the side cutely.

The man in the flame cloak chuckled. "You're just full of questions today, aren't you?" he mused as he set Naruto onto the floor of the bathroom. "We're here to give you a bath. All that running made you very dirty… and that's not good for your injury. You don't want it to get infected, do you?"

Naruto shook his head, feeling increasingly comfortable with the man in front of him. As the man helped him out of his dirty clothes and into the warm water, Naruto's thoughts couldn't help thinking of all the times he'd been helped by a mysterious guardian angel who had never let himself be seen.

The venders would refuse to allow Naruto to buy any food from them and he'd go back home starving… not long afterwards, he would find a bunch of groceries waiting for him on his counter.

He'd be beaten unconscious by the villagers whenever they were angry… he'd wake up in his own apartment with his wounds treated.

Anything and everything he'd needed but denied had been available to his disposal thanks to his mysterious beneficiary. Now looking at the man in front of him, Naruto couldn't help but wonder if he was the one who'd been protecting him for so long.

"What's your name?" Naruto asked the man, his innocent blue eyes boring into him.

"Minato," the blonde man stated with a gentle smile.

"That's a nice name," Naruto complimented, earning a laugh from Minato. Naruto found he liked it.

"Naruto's a nice name too," Minato replied. '_Given that I was the one who named you in the first place…_'

Naruto flashed Minato a genuine grin… causing Minato to fall even more in love with the little child. He'd believed that to be impossible.

"You're the one, aren't you? The one who's been helping me," Naruto said after a few moments of silence. He was being lulled to sleep thanks to Minato's gentle hands.

"You're quite the perceptive child, aren't you?" Minato mused as he rinsed Naruto's body, unearthing the soft tan skin that had been hidden behind layers of dirt. Naruto just 'hmmed' sleepily, drooping forward.

Minato's eyes softened as he removed the groggy Naruto from the bathtub and toweled him dry.

"We'll talk in the morning…" Minato decided as he carried the boy back to his bed and tucked him in.

"You won't leave?" Naruto inquired softly as he snuggled into his covers.

"I won't leave you ever again," Minato promised. "I'll always be at your side…"

Naruto smiled one last time before he drifted off to sleep. Minato leaned over and planted a soft kiss on Naruto's forehead.

"Good night, Naru-chan… and Happy Birthday," he whispered before he vanished. The seal on Naruto's belly glowed gold for a moment before the light faded away, leaving Naruto alone to slumber the rest of the night away.


	2. Underneath the Underneath

I'm happy that the story seems to being received well. Now this chapter is going to time skip and I will have an interlude chapter to explain some of the events that happened between the prologue and now. If you have anything you'd like to see in the interlude, feel free to share. I have fun doing these things (if anyone has seen the interludes I have in Life, Death, and Magic, my Bleach/HP crossover).

I'm also looking for a proper beta. Some of the upcoming chapters I have written may be a little shaky and I was hoping someone could help me locate just what may need some smoothing over…

"Talking"

'_Thinking_'

~_Naruto mentally talking to Minato and Kyuubi_~

~**Kyuubi talking to Minato and Naruto**~

~Minato mentally talking to Naruto and Kyuubi ~

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto, nor will I ever…

* * *

Chapter One: Underneath the Underneath

_Million miles between our lives,_

_Can't keep us apart from our grieving hearts,_

_Sealed with love,_

_God speed my darling._

"Come back here, Naruto!" Iruka cried, a vein threatening to emerge in his forehead.

The 12-year old pre-Genin just laughed mischievously and evaded his Academy teacher. For being as short as he was, Naruto was able to stay well in front of the Chuunin. Iruka cursed Naruto's speed. It would be a great asset to him in his future as a shinobi but it was damn annoying right now…

"Catch me if you can, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto called out with a fox-like grin on his face as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop.

The blonde-haired Minato chuckled as he ran beside his son, unseen by everyone but the said child.

"Brilliant work with painting the Hokage's faces," Minato complimented. "Thanks for not doing anything to mine though…"

Minato had told Naruto the full truth about who he was and why everyone hated Naruto when the boy had been 10 years old, quite a few years since Minato had become Naruto's teacher. Naruto had matured well and was embracing everything Minato taught him. He'd been upset at first, and rightly so, but he forgave Minato quickly. He understood Minato's reasons and it wasn't like Minato hadn't been there for him to make up for the sealing. Even more so, the attention starved child wasn't about to deny himself the father he'd always longed for.

Naruto grinned at his father. ~_No problem,_~ he mentally said. He couldn't exactly speak aloud because then people would think he was crazy… well, crazier than they thought he was already for being a so-called "demon brat".

"You may want to let him catch you soon. A pre-Genin such as yourself, by all means, _shouldn't_ be able to outrun a Chuunin for so long," Minato said. He'd made Naruto promise to keep what he learned from Minato a secret. So Naruto had built the façade of being a total idiot. He even went as far as to wear an ugly orange jumpsuit to catch attention.

Naruto pouted. ~_Do I have to?_~ he asked. Minato gave the pre-teen a stern look and Naruto relented. ~_Fine…_~

He slowed down ever so slightly and inevitably got caught by the irate Academy teacher.

He was deposited on the floor of his classroom, tied up. Minato faithfully settled himself in a corner of the room to observe the class.

Naruto frowned in annoyance and huffed, pouting cutely.

'_Damn that's adorable…_' the ever doting father thought. Naruto was the center of Minato's world and he knew it. Minato showered him in love and affection every day and Naruto didn't mind it one bit. It was perhaps the one thing that kept Naruto's innocent and loving heart strong despite all of the hardships he'd face and the frustration he felt at not being able to show how strong he was. He hated hearing how everyone called him 'dead last' and looked down on him.

"Tomorrow's the Ninja Academy's graduation exam and you've already failed it _twice_! This isn't the time for you to be causing trouble!" Iruka scolded. Naruto just glowered while looking away.

"Whatever," he said, his disinterest clearly shown. Iruka's eyebrow twitched before he turned to the class.

"Okay everyone! Time for a test on the _Henge no Jutsu_! Transform into me!" he called out, punishing the entire class for Naruto's mischief. They all groaned, sending looks of ire in Naruto's direction. He just glared back.

"This is your fault…" Inuzuka Kiba grumbled as they all lined up. Naruto just puffed out air in careless indifference.

"Like I care…" he said with disinterest. He gazed at Minato, who was smiling in amusement.

~_Have fun…_~ Minato said impishly, eyes glowing with mirth. Naruto had mastered the Henge when he'd been seven years old. Now, in Minato's eyes, the boy was free to play as he wanted. He was well past the standards the Academy looked for.

When it was Naruto's turn, he decided to spice things up. "_Henge!_" he called out, but the one who appeared out of the smoke wasn't Iruka.

Minato smacked a hand over his red face as he watched Iruka get sent back from the force of his nosebleed at the sight of the naked teenage girl standing in Naruto's place.

"I didn't mean _that_…" Minato groaned. Why Naruto had decided to create such a perverted jutsu was beyond him. It did have certain value for infiltration missions however…

"Baka! That wasn't what I asked you to do!" the spastic Iruka exclaimed once he'd recovered. He looked like he was about to have a coronary. Minato felt bad for the younger man. He usually got the brunt of Naruto's mischief.

Naruto just grinned foxily.

Later, after Naruto finished cleaning the Hokage's faces, Iruka treated Naruto to ramen, much to the pre-teen's pleasure.

Minato kept his distance, choosing not to interfere in the time Iruka and Naruto spent together. Despite the fact that Naruto drove Iruka off the wall, they were very close. Minato could see that it was the closest to a mother Naruto ever had (Minato would never say Iruka was like a father… that was _his_ position, damn it!)

"Naruto… why did you vandalize the Hokage Monument?" Iruka asked the boy curiously as they ate their ramen. "You know who they are, right?"

"Of course!" Naruto said. If he didn't know, he would have felt really stupid. His own dad had been the youngest Hokage of them all! Not that he could share that information. Minato had informed him clearly that it was dangerous for anyone to know that he was his son. Particularly if word got out to Minato's many enemies.

While a little disappointed that he couldn't claim rights to his heritage just yet, he found himself agreeing with the logic. Besides, he wanted to be acknowledged for his own merits first before he dropped the 'Namikaze bomb' on everybody.

"If you know who they were then why did you do that?" Iruka asked with a small frown.

"Simple… I plan to be Hokage and I intend to surpass them all," Naruto said with a wide, determined grin. Iruka smiled softly. Naruto's strong will and determination were two of the most endearing points he had.

"Good luck," Iruka said. "It will be a hard path, you know…"

"I know, but as they say, what's worth a prize is always worth a fight," Naruto said brightly.

'_Well said…_' Minato thought proudly from where he observed them.

Iruka chuckled. Naruto really was growing on him…

That night, Naruto and Minato discussed what was to be done at the next day's graduation exam.

"I think it's time," Minato said. "Don't fail this one on purpose like you did the last two times."

"They're most likely going to try to get me to do that _Bunshin no Jutsu_ again…" Naruto grumbled.

"You've got too much chakra for that," Minato pointed out. Minato had worked with Naruto on that from the moment the boy had first entered the Academy at age 6. It was still difficult, however, for Naruto to do the lower level jutsus. Minato made up for that by teaching him the higher level versions of some of the jutsus he'd had difficulty with. Those suited his vast chakra levels much better. "_Kage Bunshin_ should suit your purpose just fine," he said. "Your Taijutsu is very good as it is, considering you've embraced our family style. Your Ninjitsu is excellent… the only thing you're lacking is the ability for Genjutsu, but as long as you know how to dispel it, you should be fine. As a Genin, I'll allow you a slight opening to reveal some of your skills but don't do it too quickly. As you ascend through the ranks, you will be able lower your mask until it no longer exists."

"You've put a lot of thought into this," Naruto commented, lying on his bed.

"Of course I have," Minato said. "This is your future we're talking about."

He hoped that Naruto's future jounin-sensei would be one that didn't discriminate against him for the Kyuubi. He reassured himself with the thought that Sarutobi would never subject Naruto to a teacher like that…

"After the exam tomorrow, I'll teach you a new jutsu," Minato promised, immediately exciting Naruto. "After that, I'll increase how heavy your weights are." Naruto pouted. It was always so – troublesome – when his dad forced him to wear heavier weights. Getting used to them was a pain. It was times like this Naruto was _very_ thankful that he had the Kyuubi who helped heal any injury he had faster than the normal human body would have.

Surprisingly, Naruto, Minato and the Kyuubi had a rather benign relationship. It had turned out that the Kyuubi had never wanted to attack Konoha. She had only wanted to live peacefully with her mate and kits but a shinobi had bewitched her to attack.

Nowadays, she saw Naruto as her own kit and doted over him as much as Minato did. Therefore… Naruto had a very odd set of parents.

"It better be a good jutsu," Naruto said expectantly. Minato smiled.

"Would I offer you anything less?" the ex-Hokage inquired. Naruto grinned and shook his head. He knew he wasn't ready for the two jutsus he _really_ wanted Minato to teach him (the _Rasengan_ and _Hiraishin_,) but Minato always taught him awesome jutsus, particularly ones that worked with his wind and water affiliations. Minato had never been prouder when he'd found out that Naruto had embraced both of his parents' elemental affiliations. It showed just how much potential Naruto harbored. His name suited him well (both Uzumaki and Namikaze).

The next day, Naruto couldn't help but feel excited. He was finally going to be able to prove that he was more than the class 'dead last.' Well… at least a little bit.

He glanced surreptitiously at his father who had stationed himself behind the teachers who would be judging the pre-Genins. Minato flashed Naruto a grin (one that was absolutely identical to his own) and Naruto's spirits lifted even higher. Not even the presence of the annoying teme aka Uchiha Sasuke could dampen his mood.

"To pass this exam you have to do the _Bunshin no Jutsu_," Iruka informed the class.

'_Just like I'd predicted,_' Naruto thought with a sigh, frowning in annoyance as he felt someone's gaze upon him.

"Looks like it's your loss, dobe…" Sasuke sneered. "That's your worst skill, is it not?"

"Shut up, teme," Naruto spat with a glare, only to get hit on the head by an irate Sakura.

"Don't talk to Sasuke-kun like that!" the fan girl exclaimed.

Naruto hid his annoyance. The banshee really got on his nerves… what was worse was that he had to let her hit him to keep his façade up. He grinned falsely instead, noting with glee that Minato was glowering at both Sasuke and Sakura as well. "But Sakura-chan… he started it," Naruto whined.

"He was only telling the truth!" Sakura exclaimed hotly.

'_I'll show you the truth,_' Naruto thought, fighting to keep his eyebrow from twitching.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru muttered from where he sat slumped in the back of the room. He reluctantly got up to line up with the others.

Iruka felt anxious as it was finally Naruto's turn. He knew how much the boy wanted to graduate but he didn't know if he was ready… considering the boy's record with the _Bunshin_…

Naruto just flashed Iruka a confident grin before making the seal. "_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu…_" he said gleefully, creating four perfectly solid clones of himself, stunning everyone.

"Did you just say _Kage Bunshin_?" Iruka gaped. Naruto nodded with a smug smirk. "How did you learn that?"

"I had a good teacher," Naruto said vaguely but with a hint of pride. Minato beamed in the background.

'_How the hell was the dobe able to do __**that**__?_' Sasuke gaped. The _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_ was an A-class Kinjutsu. How could the dead last perform it?

'_Things just got more interesting,_' Shikamaru thought. He'd always felt as if there was something Naruto was hiding from everyone and it wasn't just the reason behind why the entire village seemed to hate him. He'd watched the boy throughout all of their academy years and he'd seen times when the boy's mask of ignorance and blind happiness seemed to fade to reveal a hint of the enigma within. Not to mention that Naruto always seemed to be aware of a presence no one else could feel… he was always glancing in random directions at times. Those were the only times Shikamaru saw a _real_ smile on Naruto's face. It was perhaps that which had convinced Shikamaru that it wasn't just some figment of Naruto's imagination that he kept drawing comfort from. Now just what or _who_ it was that was watching over Naruto was something that Shikamaru didn't know…

Iruka smiled at Naruto, proud of his achievement. "Congratulations, Naruto… you pass," he said. Naruto beamed happily.

"YATTA!" he cried out and tackled Iruka into a tight hug, causing both of them to fall as the chair Iruka had been sitting on gave way. They landed with a crash but Naruto didn't care.

Iruka groaned, completely dazed, but once recovered, he only smiled at the excited child and returned the hug.

'_I want a hug too…_' Minato sulked childishly before his sharp eyes caught sight of the look of pure disgust in Mizuki's eyes. His eyes narrowed. He'd never liked the assistant teacher. There was just something about him that rubbed him the wrong way… '_It would be best to keep an eye on him._'

After the graduation exam was done with, Naruto watched as all of the other kids, save for Sasuke, were congratulated by their parents and led home.

~_You know… I kind of feel bad for him_,~ Naruto mused as he watched the pale-skinned boy walk off by himself on his way home. ~_I mean, we're both orphans but you're still with me through odd circumstances. He's got no one…_~

"On the contrary, Naruto… he has the entire village trying to support him. He just refuses to accept it," Minato said. "That's the major difference between you and him. He'll learn eventually…"

~_I guess you're right,_~ Naruto mused as he waved goodbye to Iruka and headed back alongside Minato. He ignored the derisive looks he got from the other parents. Minato, on the other hand, was glaring at them all… even if they couldn't see it. He'd known a lot of them when he'd been alive. He'd never expect them to have let him down so badly with how they treated his son.

They headed for Ichiraku's first and Naruto gobbled up his fill of ramen while Minato watched on enviously. He hadn't got to eat ramen in 12 years… he cursed his lack of a tangible body. He consoled himself with the thought that he may be able to have one for small bouts of time in the near future.

He and Naruto had been working on a way to summon him properly out of the seal. With Naruto's skill with the _Kage Bunshin_ they were a step closer to having success…

~_So what jutsu are you going to teach me today?_~ Naruto asked eagerly.

"A wind technique," Minato said. "_Futon: Daitoppa_. It will be a great asset to you in the future. It's a C-rank, but that will at least allow you to use it more freely without much suspicion. Your sensei could think you picked it up from a book or something. After your revelation of knowing how to do _Kage Bunshin_, this won't be too much of a stretch."

"Cool," Naruto said, sounding fascinated. He loved the elemental jutsus his dad taught him. They all looked so cool…

They were well into their training when they heard a disturbance occurring in the village. Minato's sharp ears picked up what the panicked Chuunin passing nearby were saying:

"Mizuki-sensei stole the Scroll of Sealing! We need to find him and get it back!"

Minato scowled. "I knew that man was up to no good…" he muttered.

Sniffing the air with his enhanced senses, Naruto sought out Mizuki's scent. ~_He's in the forest… that's not too far from where we are…_~ he informed his father. ~_Should we go after him?_~

Minato nodded. "Don't try to engage him in battle unless absolutely necessary. Just follow him," he instructed. Naruto nodded and quickly ran off.

* * *

Iruka was in denial. Mizuki _couldn't_ have stolen the scroll. What motive did he have? Mizuki was his _friend_… Iruka was certain he would have picked up on any odd behavior from the other Chuunin, but he hadn't.

He'd just entered the woods when he got pinned by a series of kunai. He gasped in pain before looking up to see Mizuki leering down at him.

"Iruka, Iruka, Iruka…" Mizuki drawled condescendingly. "Didn't I always tell you that running around wearing your emotions on your sleeve would get you in trouble? You were so flustered you weren't even able to dodge my kunai…"

Coughing out a bit of blood, Iruka looked at Mizuki pleadingly, noting the forbidden scroll in Mizuki's possession. "Mizuki… why?"

"Why?" Mizuki repeated, perched on a tree branch as he stared at his wounded friend. "Because I wanted power, that's why."

That was when he heard someone tutting in a reprimanding tone.

"Power? You're not an Uchiha-wannabe are you?" a familiar childish voice rang out. Iruka and Mizuki both whirled around to see Naruto perched across from Mizuki, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Naruto! Get out of here! It's too dangerous!" Iruka cried out panicked. He didn't want the new Genin to die at Mizuki's hands.

"Sorry, no can do, Iruka-sensei," Naruto drawled, dropping down from the branch. "If I ran, where would you be? I'm sure Mizuki-teme over there didn't just hang around here for fun, now did you?" He looked at Mizuki pointedly. "If you wanted to, you could have been long gone by now. You were waiting for someone… and I'm certain it's Iruka-sensei."

'_Since when was Naruto this perceptive?_' Iruka thought with a small puzzled frown.

"I thought I told you not to engage the enemy," Minato scolded his son.

~_That was before he involved Iruka-sensei,_~ Naruto said matter-of-factly. ~_Now he's got to pay._~

"I'm beginning to think you love him more than me…" Minato grumbled. No matter the situation, he found ways to complain about the other adults that Naruto showered affection on.

~_Stop being so needy,_~ Naruto shot back at his dad, earning a wounded look from his father.

Mizuki sneered at Naruto. "For a dobe you're pretty smart," he mused, an insane glint in his eyes. "You're right… I am here for Iruka-sensei. After all, I'm leaving never to return… I have to make sure no one can have my precious _dolphin_, now don't I?"

"Iruka-sensei's not your precious anything!" Naruto retorted, eyes narrowing in anger. "Take that possessive streak of yours and go to hell, Bastard!" Mizuki's face turned sour.

"Here's another thing I've always wanted to do…" Mizuki said. "I've wanted to kill the accursed Demon Brat. Perhaps I should thank you for coming to me."

"Okay, that's it…" Minato growled, fingers itching to take hold of a kunai even though it would be fruitless for him to even try. He was just an apparition after all. "I want to kill this guy. Let me borrow control for a bit."

~_And blow our cover sky high? Iruka-sensei's watching too, you know,_~ Naruto protested. ~_Let me handle it, Tou-san. I'll get him for all three of us._~

Taking Naruto's strange silence as confusion, Mizuki decided he'd elaborate. "I guess I'll just have to tell you about it, won't I?" he drawled.

"No, don't!" Iruka protested, panicked. Naruto wasn't supposed to know about the Kyuubi!

"You heard about how the Yondaime killed the Kyuubi no Yoko 12 years ago, right?" Mizuki began. "The truth is… the Kyuubi wasn't killed. He was _sealed_."

Both Naruto and Minato deadpanned at this. Here they thought Mizuki was going to tell them interesting. It looked like he was only going to share some old news.

"Cut the drivel, Mizuki-teme… I already know about the Kyuubi being in me. It's not that hard to figure out after all. There are only so many times one can be called _Demon Fox_ without wondering why," Naruto said sarcastically.

Mizuki's eyes grew outraged, seeing his plan to de-stabilize the so-called demon brat fail. "Baka kitsune… whether you know or not doesn't matter. It doesn't change the fact that everyone hates you, even your beloved Iruka-sensei. No one will _ever_ love you!" he spat, taking out one of his giant shuriken and throwing it at Naruto.

Those words bit at Naruto. It was true, he had his father's love, but that could only take him so far… he had no friends or people to acknowledge him outside his own body. Only those in his seal accepted him…

It was then that Iruka managed to dislodge himself from the kunai and he lunged at Naruto, taking the hit for him on the back.

"D-don't listen to him, Naruto!" Iruka gasped, blood seeping out of his mouth. "You and I are the same… I felt the same pain as you when I lost my parents… I did the same things you did. You must have suffered so badly…" Tears began to stream from Iruka's eyes as he tried to get the words out. "You're not the Kyuubi… don't let anyone make you believe that. You're nobody but Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto's heart lightened as Iruka finally verbalized his acknowledgement. Smiling genuinely, he moved to wipe the tears away.

"Thanks," he said softly. "It means a lot…"

The tender moment was cut short as Mizuki roughly grabbed Iruka by the hair and forced him away from Naruto. Iruka cried out in pain, but by this point, he'd lost too much blood to really be able to fight back.

"Bitch, you weren't supposed to side with the demon!" Mizuki yelled out in rage as he wrenched the shuriken out of Iruka's back forcefully, eliciting another cry of pain.

"Since when… do I comply… to _your_ orders?" Iruka got out, glaring at Mizuki out of the corner of his eye.

"Shut up," Mizuki growled, punching Iruka and finally knocking him out.

"You're going to wish you hadn't done that," Naruto snarled as he straightened up. His livid father hovered behind him. Then, Minato smirked.

"Remember when I told you that you seemed to learn best from being in dangerous situations?" he asked Naruto. Naruto smirked as he caught on to what Minato was getting at.

~_Time to practice_,~ Naruto thought gleefully before stealthily sending a summoned clone to retrieve Iruka while the original started making the necessary hand seals for the jutsu he was about to perform.

Mizuki was about to go on guard when four other clones immobilized him. As he struggled, Naruto unleashed his jutsu.

"_Futon: Dait_o_ppa no Jutsu!_" Naruto called out before bringing his hand to his mouth and blowing out a large torrent of wind that sent Mizuki flying hard into a nearby tree, knocking him out instantly.

Minato pouted at the results. "I still think you could have been harsher with him…" he said, crossing his arms. "That bastard deserves it."

~_Iruka-sensei's more important,_~ Naruto reminded his dad, heading over to the wounded Chuunin that had finally voiced his acknowledgement.

"That he is," Minato agreed just as the ANBU finally arrived.

* * *

The Sandaime Hokage beamed as he watched Naruto through his crystal ball. The boy had come a long way in the past few years. He hid his potential but he could clearly see it.

"You just may achieve your dreams one day, Uzu – no – _Namikaze _Naruto…" he whispered to himself.

* * *

A/N : Pairings I have decided on for this story would include: MinafemKyuu, KakaIru, some LeeSaku, and KibaHina. There's also one-sided SasuNaru.

I'm having trouble deciding who to put Naruto with: Ino, Shikamaru, Neji, or Gaara (slight possibility that if I decide not to have either Neji and Gaara with Naruto that they'll be together…). So I'll let you vote on what you prefer amongst them.


	3. Kakashi

I tried posting last week but I realized a little late that the chapter had not been going how I'd planned and that it was more of a template for ideas that hadn't been fully accepted or rejected… In my distracted state, I had forgotten that I had meant to give it a heavy makeover…

I hope this is a better version. If there are still some flaws in how I characterize things then feel free to point them out. I'm hoping I got most of the kinks out…

So far, the votes for the Naruto pairing would be as follows:

**Gaara**: 6

**Shikamaru**: 6

**Neji**: 3

**Ino**: 3

**Other**: 2

You can continue voting for now. I've already got a picture in my head of how GaaNaru or NaruIno may work out. Shikamaru's coming pretty close too. But please try keeping within the four options. They're currently the only ones that I'm capable of writing comfortably (considering I can actually get ideas for them). I'm actually considering the possibility of a threesome depending on how things turn out… but it's not certain just yet.

I'm sorry if people don't like the concept of Naruto hiding his intelligence, but I associated it with how he always wears a mask. He can't really justify how he knows most of the things he's learned as it is, so the only way to solve the issue was to hide it in my opinion. The mask isn't going to last very long though (up until the Chuunin Exams at least…). I'm aiming for it to just be that he's letting people believe what they want to while not correcting them, but if I get too far away from that dynamic, feel free to tell me.

I'm heading for China in a few days, so my next update will be in a few weeks, once I get back to my college. I hope you enjoy this one.

**Pure Iciness**: You know, I think you read my mind… I was actually thinking on those lines for Ino and Naruto to begin with. Even if they don't end up together in the end, I think Naruto needs someone who has a full understanding of what's going on, don't you?

**Itazuk**: Don't worry, Naruto will still be training with Jiraiya. There's a lot that he can teach him. Besides, there's no way I wouldn't include him in Naruto's training. He's one of my favorite characters *beams*.

Thanks to everyone for your input. I really appreciate it.

Pairings: MinaKyuu, KakaIru, eventual and slight SakuLee and KibaHina, one-sided SasuNaru and SakuSasu (for a bit).

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto, if I did, Minato would have never died…

---

Chapter Two: Kakashi

"Naruto's late," Kiba remarked as all of the new Genin sat in their old classroom, waiting for their team assignments. "You'd think he'd be the first one here considering how excited he'd been about becoming a Genin. I _still_ can't believe he graduated…"

"Your lack of confidence in me is astounding, Dog Breath," Naruto's voice rang out from behind the hot-headed boy.

Kiba whirled around in shock. '_How did he get behind me without me even sensing him?_' he thought to himself.

Naruto smirked at Kiba. "What's wrong, Kiba? Cat got your tongue?" he teased, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Very funny, Whiskers," Kiba shot back with a scowl. "What kept you?"

"I overslept," Naruto lied as he moved to take his seat.

'_He's limping,_' Shikamaru frowned as he noticed the oddness of Naruto's movements. '_I wonder what he did?_'

~_I hate you, you know that?_~ Naruto grumbled to his dad, who had chosen to stay within the seal for the time being to recover the chakra he'd spent earlier that day training Naruto.

~You were the one asking for early morning training,~ Minato pointed out. ~I may be your father, but that doesn't mean I'll take it easy on you.~

~_Yeah, yeah…_~ Naruto muttered.

~**You only need to say 'yeah' once! Don't pick up on your father's bad habits!**~ Kyuubi scolded Naruto, ignoring Minato's offended protests.

In Naruto's distracted state, he didn't notice Sakura and Ino barreling into the room as they raced to see who got to sit next to Sasuke. Therefore, it came as a surprise when Ino crashed right into him, sending them both on a one way trip to the ground.

"Itai…" Naruto whined. Falling had really hurt… considering Minato had just increased his weights that morning.

"Damn it, Naruto! Watch where you going!" Ino reprimanded. "You made me lose! Now Forehead gets to sit next to Sasuke-kun!"

"Oh, like that's a big loss," Naruto groused under his breath.

"You're just jealous that all of the girls like Sasuke-kun and not you," Ino exclaimed hotly, banging her hand against Naruto's stomach. Air rushed out of Naruto's lungs upon impact. He glared at Ino before noticing that she was staring at him oddly.

"What?" he asked, feeling unnerved by her intense gaze.

"It's nothing," Ino denied. '_He's really toned… how much does he train every day?_'

"As much as I enjoy you sitting on me, the others may get the wrong idea," Naruto drawled, smirking at Ino in an infuriating manner.

Blushing as she remembered where they were, Ino scrambled off of Naruto and straightened her clothes furiously.

She glared down at his grinning form before stomping off.

~Smooth,~ Minato stated dryly, amusement rolling off of him in waves.

~_It's not like I planned for that to happen,_~ Naruto defended himself as he struggled to fight the forces of gravity that threatened to drag his weighted body back to the ground.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru sighed as he stood up to help Naruto. Chouji followed him and together they pulled Naruto to his feet.

"For someone as skinny as you, you sure are heavy," Chouji remarked.

"Look who's…" Naruto began before Shikamaru silenced him with his hand.

"You know that word is taboo," the lazy genius hissed quietly. Naruto sweatdropped.

"If you three are done fooling around, would you mind taking a seat?" Iruka asked the three boys patiently as he finally entered the room.

"Oh, right," Naruto said sheepishly and the three boys headed to their seats. Naruto took the only other seat available, right next to Sakura. She glared at him to show her displeasure but he only grinned back.

They turned to the front as Iruka began to speak.

"Starting today, you are all real shinobi. However, you're only Genin and your real journey is only just about to begin. You will soon be getting missions to help the village and therefore, we're going to assign you to three man groups with a Jounin-sensei to aid you. As long as you follow his or her instructions, your missions should go smoothly," the Chuunin declared.

'_Great, more people to get in my way…_' Sasuke thought in displeasure.

'_I have to be on Sasuke-kun's team!_' Sakura gushed mentally.

'_Not that much of a surprise…_' Naruto thought to himself, growing bored as Iruka began to list names.

~This feels a little nostalgic…~ Minato mused. ~A little over thirty years ago was the day I was put on your godfather's team.~

~_You're old,_~ Naruto teased.

~I'm also dead,~ Minato pointed out. ~Age doesn't matter anymore for me. I'll remain eternally young until the day the Shinigami claims us all…~

Naruto didn't get a chance to say anything back because he chose then to pay more attention. He didn't want to miss out on his team assignment.

"Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke will be on a team together under the guidance of Hatake Kakashi," he read out.

Naruto looked out of the corner of his eye to see how his new teammates reacted. As expected, Sakura looked both excited and chagrined while Sasuke remained emotionless. '_So predictable…_'

~Kakashi's your teacher?~ Minato mused. ~Can't say I'm all that surprised…~

~_ I'm not all that happy with my teammates…_~ Naruto mused. ~_A fan girl and the guy with the biggest stick up his butt…_~

~You'll have to deal. Try to get along with them. You know that teamwork is key,~ Minato pointed out sagely.

~_What else can I do?_~ Naruto snorted. ~_It's not like my protesting will change anything. Observe._~

Naruto shot up out of his seat with a glare on his face. "Iruka-sensei! Why does a great shinobi like me have to be with Sasuke-teme?" he whined, pointing a finger at Sasuke forcefully.

Sasuke glared at Naruto silently. The boy was so _annoying_.

Iruka looked at Naruto sternly. "The teams were made to balance all of the Genin out. Out of all of you, Sasuke scored best, while you, scored dead last."

Naruto flushed as the other Genin snickered at him before he huffed and sat down. ~_See, what did I tell you?_~ Naruto commented wryly.

~I never argued against the fact,~ Minato responded simply. ~Brilliant acting, though.~

~_Thanks,_~ Naruto grinned.

"What are you smiling about?" Sakura frowned. "You were just complaining a minute ago!"

Naruto just raised an eyebrow. "Iruka-sensei already said arguing over this was futile, so why make a big deal about it? That would be pointless. Therefore… why shouldn't I smile?"

Sakura stared at Naruto. The boy was acting awfully mature for one who was usually so… hyperactive. Maybe there was more to him than she'd once thought.

"Team 8 consists of Hyuuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino. Your Jounin-sensei is Yuuhi Kurenai." Iruka informed them.

Kiba whooped excitedly, grinning at his teammates. Hinata smiled shyly while Shino simply remained stoic. Hinata met Naruto's eyes and the kitsune beamed at her encouragingly. He and Hinata had become good friends. Out of all of the Genin, only she was aware that he was actually hiding under a façade.

Minato had been keeping an eye on her and seeing her severe lack of confidence, had convinced Naruto to befriend her and help train her. Hinata was still very shy, but she wasn't as much of a pushover anymore. She and Naruto were like brother and sister now.

"Team 10 will be Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Chouji. Your sensei will be Sarutobi Asuma," Iruka declared.

Ino groaned, disappointed with her teammates. Chouji smiled at Shikamaru, glad to be with his best friend. Shikamaru just grumbled.

"Troublesome…"

~The next Ino-Shika-Cho trio… they should prove to be quite interesting once they're trained properly,~ Minato remarked, amused. ~I knew their parents, you know. I was good friends with Shikaku, Inoichi, and Chouza. I have no doubt that their kids will be as good as they were eventually.~

~_I'll look forward to that…_~ Naruto mused. ~_It sounds interesting enough…_~

Three hours later, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura found themselves to be the only Genin left waiting for their Jounin-sensei. Iruka had stayed behind with them to keep them company, and to keep Naruto entertained so he couldn't get into any mischief like he knew the boy would.

He was regaling Naruto with stories of his childhood when they finally heard the door slide open.

What happened next was unexpected. An intricate trap set off and the end product was a masked, silver-haired cyclopean Jounin hanging upside down from the ceiling.

Naruto broke out into giggles, causing his teammates to look at him.

"When did you do that?" Iruka exclaimed, eyes wide in shock.

"That's for me to know," Naruto responded with a grin. '_By all means, it wasn't __**me**__._'

~That should teach my former student _not_ to be late,~ Minato said smugly, having sneaked out of the seal to create the trap.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know he'd do something like this," Iruka apologized, releasing Kakashi from the trap.

Straightening out, Kakashi gave Iruka a once over, a spark of interest flashing in his sole gray eye. Minato was the only one who noticed it.

"Looks like 'Kashi-_chan_'s got a _crush_," Minato chanted, looking like the cat that ate the canary.

Kakashi's eyes turned to his new students and he observed them.

Sasuke was staring at him in stunned disbelief, Sakura looked like she was torn between reprimanding Naruto and laughing her ass off, and Naruto… just smiled.

"My first impression of you three… I hate you," Kakashi said in an indifferent tone. Iruka winced. "Meet me on the roof… as an added incentive: I'm stealing your sensei."

Iruka let out an undignified squawk as Kakashi 'shushined' them away.

'_He's got it bad,_' Minato thought to himself. Turning to his son, he smiled. "Up and at 'em, Naru-chan. It's time to introduce yourself to your sensei!"

~_You're awfully cheerful,_~ Naruto muttered. ~_Hatake Kakashi… he's that strange guy who always gives me those vegetable baskets and other healthy foods… You knew all along that it was your former student helping me and you never told me who he was?_~

~Someone has to make sure you get proper nutrition,~ Minato pointed out. ~And I wanted to wait for him to introduce himself to you. I didn't know it would take this long for you to find out though.~

~_But why does he help me?_~ Naruto pried.

~All those years ago, when Kushina told me she was pregnant, Kakashi had been really excited. You were going to be his little brother, after all. It's only logical that he would want to keep that bond even if he's not allowed to show how much he cares for you in public. If he did, well… it would be only one more clue that connected you to me.~

"Are you coming, dobe?" Sasuke asked Naruto, seeing that he was simply spacing off into the distance.

"I'm coming… no need to be so impatient," Naruto responded, a little annoyed that Sasuke had interrupted the conversation he was having. He wanted to know more about Kakashi…

When they arrived at the roof, they saw a blushing Iruka sitting next to Kakashi, who was smiling.

"Okay, introduce yourselves: name, likes, dislikes, goal for the future and hobbies," Kakashi instructed.

"Could you give us an example, sensei?" Sakura asked.

"Fine. My name's Hatake Kakashi. My likes and dislikes are none of your business. I have no goal and my hobbies are too adult for you to hear," the masked nin declared.

"We only found out his name," Sakura grumbled.

"All right, your turn, Dolphin-chan," Kakashi grinned. Iruka blanched.

"But I'm not a member of your team!" the teacher exclaimed, deciding to ignore the nickname.

"It's for the principle of things," Kakashi said before inching closer. "Besides, I'm interest in what you have to say." He said, practically purring.

'_Great our sensei's one who couldn't detect a Genin's trap and is more interested in getting into our former sensei's pants,_' Sasuke thought, unimpressed.

Flushing, Iruka scratched at the scar on his nose sheepishly. "Well… my name's Umino Iruka, I like my students and ramen. I dislike anyone who tries to hurt my students and those who don't do their mission reports properly. My goal is to see all of my students become great shinobi and my hobbies include reading and spending time with my precious people."

"You're very dedicated to your students…" Kakashi mused. "That's admirable."

"Thank you," Iruka said, a little embarrassed.

"Okay, Pinky, it's your turn."

"My name is Haruno Sakura and I like… (giggle)… my goal is… (another giggle)… My hobbies are… (a look _and_ a giggle) and I dislike… Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed.

'_Great a fan girl,_' Kakashi groaned. He eyed the wounded look on Naruto's face and felt the slightest sympathy for the boy. "Okay, next would be Mr. Tall, Dark and Broody," Kakashi said, eyes on Sasuke.

"I dislike many things and like very little…" Sasuke declared, looking as stoic as ever. "I don't have a goal as much as an… ambition to kill a certain man… and to revive my clan."

'_I had a feeling he was going to say that…_' Kakashi thought with a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair before turning to Naruto. "Your turn, Blondie." A slight pang went through Kakashi at the sight of the boy. He looked so much like his sensei…

"The name's Uzumaki Naruto," the orange-clad Genin declared. He swore to himself that he'd grow strong enough to be able to take his dad's last name like he had long since desired. "I like Iruka-sensei, Sarutobi-jii-chan, ramen and pranking. I dislike the three minutes for ramen to finish and those who judge people for something that's not under their control. My goal is to be the greatest Hokage in the history of Konoha and be acknowledged by everyone!"

"And I'm Namikaze Minato, also known as the Yondaime Hokage. I like my son, all those in Konoha who don't judge him for what's inside him. I dislike all the ignorant bastards who think he's the Kyuubi. My goal is to help my kid become the greatest shinobi in all Five Great Nations. My hobbies include training with Naruto, making fun of my former student and kicking the ass of anyone who looks at my kid the wrong way," Minato said to amuse Naruto..

Naruto snickered, earning himself a few odd looks.

'_He's grown in an interesting way…_' Kakashi thought, thinking back to how Naruto had been treated all through his life. He'd been the main ANBU watching over Naruto as the years had gone by. He'd taken care of all of the people who had attacked Naruto and made sure they'd regretted it. Whenever he'd gone to ensure that Naruto was safe and taken care of, he'd found that someone else had already had taken care of the boy. As the years had gone by, Kakashi tried to figure out who Naruto's guardian angel was, but whoever it was, he was good at covering his tracks.

"Okay…" he started out. "Tomorrow, we start our duties as shinobi, but we have to do one thing first: survival training."

"But we did that during the Academy!" Sakura exclaimed, sounding displeased.

"This isn't like your Academy training…" Kakashi said. "I'm your opponent this time." He began to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You're all going to freak out…" the former ANBU declared.

"About what?" Sakura inquired curiously. Iruka looked guilty for having kept this a secret from them but that was how things went.

"Twenty-seven of you graduated from the Academy, but only nine of you will remain as Genin. The others will return to the Academy. You have a 66% chance of failing this test of mine," Kakashi stated. He chuckled at their stunned looks. "I told you that you would freak out."

~_Well this is a twist,_~ Naruto remarked. "But we worked so hard! If this is the real test then what was the point of graduating?!" he exclaimed.

"That was just to select the ones who have a chance at becoming Genin. You'll show your real skills tomorrow during the training. Bring all the tools you have and don't eat breakfast. You'll just throw it all up," Kakashi instructed. "That's it for today. Be at the training grounds at 5 in the morning." With that, he disappeared.

"This is a bummer," Naruto pouted, crossing his arms. Iruka ruffled Naruto's hair affectionately.

"You'll do fine," he assured the boy. "Now how about we go for ramen?"

"AWESOME!" Naruto cheered. Iruka smiled at Naruto's enthusiasm and they went on their way.

Later, as Naruto headed to his and Minato's private training area, Minato started telling of what he planned to do for Naruto's training.

"I'll be increasing your weights tonight," Minato said. Naruto groaned.

~_Again?_~ he whined. Minato grinned and ruffled Naruto's hair.

"Yes, again. There's no real reason for you to whine. You get used to them fast enough… Kyuu-chan helps you out enough with that as it is."

~**Oi! I'm the great Queen of the Bijuu! How dare you call me **_**Kyuu-chan**_**!**~ the fox demon finally spoke out for the first time in the last few days.

"You're the surrogate mother to my kid, why _can't_ I call you Kyuu-chan?" Minato teased. The demoness nearly went ballistic.

~**Call me that again! I **_**dare**_** you!**~ Kyuubi growled, hackles raising.

~_Come on, Tou-san, leave her alone,_~ Naruto said, playing the mediator.

~**Yes, **_**Minato**_**, listen to the Kit,**~ Kyuubi purred, wrapping her tails around her beloved child as Naruto and Minato entered his mind.

Naru to's mind looked like a large open field with a huge den. It used to look like a sewer back when he'd first met the Kyuubi when he'd been ten but after he learned the truth behind the attack and he got to know the female Demon Lord, the scenery changed to a nicer one with no cage or sewer.

Ever since then, the Kyuubi had absolutely adored the child. Minato didn't mind the change either. It beat being stuck in a cage… even if he did manage to sneak out.

~**It's time for you to be exposed to more of my Chakra, Kit. The more you grow used to it now, the better you can use it later on,**~ Kyuubi declared. Naruto pouted.

~_Fine…_~ he said. He understand the value of getting accustomed to the Kyuubi's chakra but it burned… a human body could only handle so much demonic chakra at one time.

"That's my boy," Minato said, ruffling Naruto's hair. He was eager to see how his son would fair against his former student. He wanted to see if Kakashi would be able to look past Naruto's mask or be as blind as everyone else…


	4. The Bell Test

Here's my third chapter, currently unbetaed, but I'm hoping it runs smoothly enough.

I'll keep the pairing poll up for one more chapter, seeing how there's beginning to be a trend in who you guys prefer. Here's the current tally:

**Shikamaru**: 11

**Gaara**: 7

**Neji**: 5

**Ino**: 4

**Other**: 3

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

Chapter Three

Naruto groaned as he woke up. Minato and Kyuubi had worked him hard the night before. His muscles were sore and he felt so much heavier thanks to the increased weights Minato had forced on him.

No matter his complaints, he was thankful for his dad training him. Minato had taught Naruto to read and write when he was five, taught him chakra control up until he was eight (which definitely helped Naruto out in the long run), and then helped smoothen out the things he was taught from the Academy before teaching him family-specific things.

Naruto just wished Minato had done it earlier… getting used to the new weights would make the test even harder…

"Think of it this way, Naruto… you won't have to worry about your mask breaking anytime soon," Minato said as Naruto moved about getting dressed. He was about to go out the door. "Hold it right there, young man."

Naruto frowned at Minato's stern tone. He turned back with a quizzical look. "What is it?" he asked.

"You still haven't eaten any breakfast," his dad said, crossing his arms. "Now come back and eat."

"But Kakashi-sensei told us not to eat," Naruto said, sounding puzzled.

"You won't amount to anything if you have nothing in your system," Minato said. "No son of mine goes to take a test without the proper preparation. That includes a good meal."

Naruto frowned but complied. "Fine, but it's your fault if I get in trouble because of it," he stated before settling down.

"Yeah, yeah…" Minato said, waving a hand dismissively.

~**You only need to say 'yeah' once!**~ Kyuubi exclaimed, sounding a little irritated.

"Yes, _dear_," Minato said sarcastically. "I swear she acts like Kushina…"

Naruto giggled in amusement before gobbling his breakfast down before heading out the door. Minato followed him dutifully. He wasn't going to miss this for the world.

It took Naruto some time to get to the training field as he wasn't able to move as comfortably as he normally was able to do thanks to the weight. By the time he got there, Sakura and Sasuke had already been waiting there for a while.

"You're late!" Sakura scolded Naruto. "What if Kakashi-sensei had gotten here already?"

"But he's not here, now is he?" Naruto pointed out as he started out doing his stretches. He could at least try to get used to his weights a little more before the test started.

Sasuke and Sakura stared at him blankly before shrugging their shoulders and going back to what they'd been doing: Sakura had been fangirling over Sasuke and Sasuke hadn't been paying her even a bit of attention.

It was nearly two hours later before Kakashi finally arrived.

"Good morning," he greeted brightly.

"YOU'RE LATE!!!" Sakura and Naruto shrieked simultaneously.

"Sorry but a black cat crossed my path and I had to go the long way…" Kakashi said.

"LIAR!" both Genin yelled indignantly.

'_Taking a leaf from Obito's book… I never thought I'd see the day…_' Minato thought, shaking his head at his former student.

Waving off the Genin's anger, Kakashi put an alarm clock on one of the wooden training posts and set it for noon.

"Okay, here's the deal," he said, taking out two small silver bells. "I set the clock for noon. You have from now until then to get these bells from me. Those who don't have a bell by noon get no lunch. Not only that, but I will eat your lunch right in front of you."

Almost on cue, Sakura and Sasuke's stomachs growled loudly. Kakashi noticed instantly that Naruto's hadn't. '_Looked like someone didn't listen to my suggestion…_' he thought.

"There are only two bells, so one of you will be tied to the post for sure. The one who doesn't get the bell fails and will be sent to the Academy," Kakashi said, his eyes dead serious. "You can use whatever you like against me. You won't succeed, however, unless you come at me with the intent to kill."

"But we could hurt you!" Sakura protested. Naruto chuckled, sounding amused. Sakura turned to him with a glare. "What's so funny?" she demanded to know.

"He's a _Jounin_, Sakura-chan," he pointed out. "We're only Genin. The idea of us actually being able to give him more than a few small bruises is laughable."

'_He's got more common sense than he lets on_,' Kakashi thought to himself. '_He looks and acts like an idiot but there seems to be more to him… it looks like Kushina-san's not the only one influencing his personality, sensei…_'

"But he didn't even detect that trap yesterday," Sakura commented, crossing her arms.

"I'm sure he could have if he'd tried," Naruto drawled. '_Albeit, it wasn't a Genin who set it up but a Kage._'

"You seem to have a lot of faith in me for not even knowing me, Naruto," Kakashi mused, looking at the boy he had in his mind deemed as an adoptive little brother from the moment he'd laid eyes on him that fateful day twelve years ago…

"You're Hatake Kakashi, one of the elite Jounin of Konoha, trained by one of the best shinobi this village has ever seen…" Naruto pointed out. At Kakashi, Sakura and Sasuke's surprised looks, he quickly defended his knowledge. "I did a little research… I spend a lot of time with Sarutobi-jii-chan after all. You learn a lot in that office."

"Thanks for the compliment," Minato beamed.

"You're a very interesting little boy, aren't you?" Kakashi remarked. "I take it you've acknowledged me then?"

They all nodded. Kakashi smiled.

"Great… then you may begin," he said.

Instantly, the three Genin hid.

'_A good start,_' Kakashi thought, getting on guard as he waited to see what they would do.

'_Okay… this test doesn't make much sense…_' Naruto thought to himself. '_We're put in a three-man block for a reason… so why would Kakashi-sensei try to split us up like this? Didn't Tou-san teach him how he believed those who broke rules were scum but those who abandoned their teammates were worse than scum?_'

Naruto continued to think before his eyes widened as realization hit him. '_Unless he wants us pitted against each other to see if we _could_ work as a team despite all of that!_'

Minato watched proudly as Naruto realized the true purpose of the test. '_Go for it, kiddo,_' he thought.

Naruto summoned two clones to seek out Sakura and Sasuke while he himself headed to where Kakashi was. He'd distract him while his clones relayed his message to his two teammates.

"The most important skill a ninja is the ability to hide oneself," Kakashi said, eyes locating where his students were located. '_They seem pretty well hidden…_'

He spoke too soon as Naruto burst out in front of him with a glare on his face.

"Come on and face me like a man!" Naruto demanded. Kakashi sweatdropped. Naruto had seemed to have so much promise…

'_Idiot,_' Sasuke thought with a shake of his head.

"There's something off about you," Kakashi sighed, not looking impressed.

"The only thing off is your haircut!" Naruto retorted, lunging for Kakashi with a kunai in hand.

'_And the mask is in place…_' Minato said, eyeing how Naruto's movements were just a little abnormal due to the weights. It was better than before. He was already beginning to adjust to them. Minato turned to Kakashi. '_Can you see past it, Kakashi? Can you break his façade?_'

Naruto saw Kakashi reach into his weapons' pouch and skidded to a halt, growing weary. What was he going to take out?

"Shinobi Lesson # 1: Taijutsu. I'll teach you about it," Kakashi stated, looking calm. Naruto froze. What did anything in his pouch have to do with Taijutsu?

He all but face-faulted when he saw Kakashi take out an orange book with a red mark on the back. The title read 'Icha Icha Paradise.'

Minato's eyes flashed. Kakashi was going to read that… smut in front of his kid?!

"What's wrong? Aren't you going to attack me?" Kakashi taunted as he began to read.

"What's with the book?" Naruto asked incredulously. '_He's underestimating me… but then again, that's exactly what I want everyone to do._'

"I just want to know what happens next," Kakashi said. "It won't be much of a big deal while dealing with you guys."

"I'm going to kick your ass!" Naruto screamed out in real irritation. Who did Kakashi think he was? He could at least _act_ like he was taking this seriously…

'_I think Kakashi deserves a rightful ass-kicking this round,_' Minato mused, observing from the seal. Considering that Naruto had brought out some clones, he had multiple views to look from, so he was keeping an eye on Sasuke and Sakura. Naruto basically had himself his own personal surveillance system.

Naruto lunged at Kakashi, sending a punch his way that Kakashi blocked. The Jounin frowned.

'_That hit was awfully hard for a Genin…_' he thought, not realizing that the added impact was due to the hidden weights. He quickly ducked as Naruto aimed a kick for his head.

Naruto aimed another punch at Kakashi, only for the Jounin to vanish.

He stiffened as he sensed a presence behind him.

"A shinobi isn't supposed to be caught from behind, baka," Kakashi drawled.

'_His hand position is the tiger seal? Is he going to use a jutsu against Naruto?_' Sakura thought in horror.

'_That's the fire seal… He's completely serious about this,_' Sasuke thought, frowning.

"Naruto! Run away! You're going to get killed!" Sakura cried out, eyes wide in panic.

Naruto turned his head slowly, eyes wide in shock.

"Too late," Kakashi said gleefully. "_Konoha Ancient Supreme Technique:_ _Sennen Gyoroshi!_"

Naruto screamed out in pain as he was sent through the air and into the water.

'_That was just a poke to the ass…_' Sakura thought, completely unimpressed.

'_They're both idiots,_' Sasuke mused.

"That was MY technique!" Minato exclaimed in disbelief.

'_Oh shit…_' Naruto thought as he struggled to emerge from the water. '_These weights are too heavy…_' He was being dragged down rapidly. He wasn't able to push himself up fast enough to overcome his downward path… and it was getting even harder to move his limbs even enough to try to remove the weights…

* * *

'_How can we be expected to beat a Jounin? It's so unfair,_' Sakura thought, feeling disheartened.

'_Now to find the others,_' Kakashi thought before disappearing.

Sakura had been worried about Sasuke, so she had gone to search for him. She froze when she saw Kakashi reading nearby.

'_Good… he didn't see me,_' Sakura thought.

"Sakura, behind you," a voice declared. Sakura turned around to see Kakashi.

Making a hand sign, Kakashi disappeared in a flurry of leaves as he caught Sakura in his enjutsu.

She screamed loud and hard as she succumbed to it, falling unconscious.

"Perhaps I was too hard on her…" Kakashi mused. '_Now to find Sasuke…_'

"Damn straight you were!" Minato yelled in outrage before realizing something with a faint bit of horror. '_Naruto hasn't emerged from the water yet! Shit!_'

Kakashi frowned in puzzlement when he heard a strange splash. It didn't sound like someone coming out of the water. It was more like… someone diving _in_. It wasn't Naruto, Sasuke, nor Sakura (who was still unconscious). So who was it?

Pushing it aside for now, he went after Sasuke.

'_That was Sakura screaming…_' Sasuke realized as he recognized the scream.

"Shinobi Lesson #2: Genjutsu. Sakura fell for it all too easily," Kakashi's voice rang out from the periphery.

'_Of course she'd fall for that…_' Sasuke thought. "But I'm different than the other two."

"Say that after you have a bell, Sasuke-kun," Kakashi said, still reading his book as he leaned against a tree behind Sasuke.

Facing off against Kakashi, Sasuke glared.

Minutes later, Kakashi finished with his current opponent.

"_Doton: Shinjuu Zanshu no Jutsu!_" Kakashi called as he pulled Sasuke down until only his head was still above the ground.

"Gyaah!" Sasuke yelled. Kakashi kneeled in front of him.

"Shinobi Lesson #3: Ninjutsu. You're already ahead of the others in that aspect…" Kakashi mused.

It was then that he saw an eerie golden yellow glow coming from where he'd left Naruto… Frowning, Kakashi went to investigate.

* * *

(_A few minutes earlier…_)

'_Damn Kakashi… he didn't even wait to see if Naruto came **out**!_' Minato cursed his former student as he grabbed Naruto who was struggling even to make a rational thought as his oxygen supply ran low. '_Sorry to interfere Naruto, but looks like Tou-san's got a former student to punish…_'

With that, Minato's consciousness took control of Naruto's body and a golden yellow light began to emerge, saturating all of the water.

'_What's going on?_' Kakashi wondered as he stared at the eerily glowing water.

He went on guard as he saw something – or rather, _someone_ – emerge from the water.

A crown of spiky golden hair became visible as the man emerged.

Kakashi was floored. Right in front of him was the Yondaime Hokage himself, dressed like he had been the night of his death, down to the infamous flame cloak. He was standing on the surface of the water and he wasn't happy.

"Ka-ka-shi…" Minato snarled as he glided off the water and to the stunned Jounin, grabbing him by the collar of his flak jacket. "You've got some explaining to do…"

* * *

Sakura yelped as water was splashed onto her, waking her up. Spluttering, she looked up to see a grinning Naruto.

"Wake up, Sleeping Beauty," he said gleefully. Sakura glared at him. She attempted to punch him but he dodged to the side.

"Watch it, Sakura-chan, or I'll be dispelled," he informed her matter-of-factly.

"Huh?" Sakura said, confused.

"I'm just a clone. Naruto sent me to find you to explain his plan," the clone said.

"What plan?" Sakura inquired.

"Here's the deal…"

* * *

Sasuke grunted as he tried to get out of the hole he'd been buried into.

"Looks like you need some help," Naruto remarked as he knelt in front of Sasuke. The Uchiha glared scathingly.

"I don't need help from the class dobe," Sasuke huffed. Naruto raised an eyebrow.

"You're stuck in the ground up to your head with barely any room to move," the kitsune pointed out. "It sure looks like you need help."

"I'll do fine without you," Sasuke growled. Naruto stared at him, unimpressed. It pissed Sasuke off.

"Fine, be stubborn. Just so you know, by refusing my help, you're ensuring our failure," Naruto pointed out.

"No, only yours," Sasuke shot back. Naruto snorted.

"Are you that stupid, Teme?" Naruto queried. "This test is about _teamwork_. We all pass or we all fail. It's as simple as that."

Sasuke growled as he considered Naruto's words. As much as he hated to admit it, Naruto was right.

"Fine…" he muttered quietly. Naruto's ears perked.

"What was that? I couldn't hear you," the fox child said, holding a hand to his ear.

"I said _fine_," Sasuke said, a little louder.

"I still can't hear you," Naruto sang. A vein twitched in Sasuke's forehead.

"I SAID FINE, DOBE! GET ME OUT OF THIS HOLE!!!" he finally roared.

Naruto's amused laughter filled the air. "You didn't have to yell," he teased before making a familiar hand seal. "_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu._"

* * *

'_What the hell is going on? Is this some sort of trick?!_' Kakashi gaped as he dodged Minato's angered strikes… but only barely. He'd unveiled his Sharingan in hopes of unearthing the trick behind the 'imposter' but the longer he fought him and observed him, the more he felt as if the man in front of him wasn't a fake.

"Coming late to team meetings… reading _smut_ in front of the children… not even taking them seriously while they're trying their best to succeed… what the hell has gotten into you?!" Minato reprimanded, eyes ablaze as he knocked Kakashi back with a roundhouse kick.

Kakashi stumbled backwards, not getting enough time to recover before Minato was on him once more.

"I. Will. Not. Have. You. Turn. Into. _My_. Sensei. Do. You. Hear. Me?" Minato dragged out the words, reinforcing each one with a punch. Despite his shock and the pain, Kakashi could only think one thing.

'_He's pulling his punches…_' he thought. Never mind the fact that he was being beaten into the ground by someone who was supposed to be dead.

It was as Kakashi was still off guard that a red and blue blur passed by him on each side and he suddenly found himself missing the two bells.

Sasuke and Sakura smirked as they showed the bells while they flanked a smug Minato's side.

With an impish grin, Minato disappeared in a puff of smoke, revealing Naruto.

Kakashi blinked. That entire scenario… had been Naruto's doing?

"We won, Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said with a bright smile.

Kakashi turned to Naruto. "Impressive Henge…" he remarked. "I hadn't even detected it… your acting was impressive too, for someone who has never met the Yondaime Hokage before."

"Hey, the Yondaime Hokage is my idol. I know everything about him," Naruto said. '_Including that he's my dad, but you don't need to know that I know that…_'

Running a hand through his hair, Kakashi had the grace to feel foolish for having gotten caught in such a trap. Minato had just seemed so… real… and his Sharingan hadn't detected any signs of it merely being a disguise…

'_Seems you're hiding more than just the Kyuubi, Naruto…_' Kakashi thought. He then smiled. "Congratulations… you all pass."

"Even Naruto?" Sakura blinked, seeing as Naruto didn't have a bell. Kakashi nodded.

"Yes, even him. He did most of the work after all," he pointed out. Sakura had the grace to look sheepish. "Naruto could have grabbed a bell from me at any time while he'd had me off guard with that unconventional disguise of his, but he didn't. He created an opening so that _you_ could get the bells. If that's not a sign of what true teamwork is, than I don't know what is."

'_So the dobe was right… this test **had** been about teamwork…_' Sasuke thought, eyes falling on the smiling kitsune. '_I might have underestimated him this time… it won't happen again._'

"Granted, your teamwork could still use some tweaking," Kakashi stated. "Sasuke, you didn't even try to work with the others, believing them to be beneath you. Sakura, you were too worried about Sasuke to even pay attention to Naruto, who was closer to you. You didn't even think to help him when he looked to be drowning."

Sasuke just 'hn'ed while Sakura looked ashamed of herself for her mistake.

"You banded together in the end, which is what redeemed you," the Jounin declared. "When going on missions, your teamwork is key. The quick way to failure is thinking that you can only depend on yourself. I used to be just like you, Sasuke… I didn't care about my teammates as long as the mission was completed… I ended up regretting those thoughts. Individual play that disrupts the mission will only put your other teammates in danger. A wise man once told me: Those who break the rules and codes of the shinobi world are trash… but those who don't take care of their comrades are lower than trash."

"Those were the words I was waiting for," Minato said gleefully, crossing his arms. "I taught him well. Well Obito played a major role in his change of heart too. Perhaps more than me."

~_Who's Obito?_~ Naruto asked his dad curiously.

"I'll tell you later," the former Hokage declared.

Kakashi smiled at them. "As time goes on, your ability to work together will get better. As long as you're able to realize it's importance and put aside your personal reservations, I think you three will work together just fine."

"Meet me at the bridge tomorrow at five in the morning. Starting from tomorrow, we will start our missions as a team," the Copy Ninja declared.

Naruto and Sakura cheered while Sasuke merely smirked.

As they were leaving together, they noticed Iruka coming their way, looking nervous.

Kakashi smiled and was about to greet the cute Chuunin when a blonde ball of energy passed by him and tackled the poor teacher.

"Iruka-sensei, Iruka-sensei? Guess what?" Naruto exclaimed childishly, snuggling into the surprised man's lap.

"What, Naruto?" Iruka humored the excited child.

"We passed!" Naruto cried out, waving his arms around wildly.

Kakashi had been silently cursing Naruto for stealing Iruka's attention away but the sudden brightening of Iruka's expression made it all worth it. Damn he was adorable when he smiled…

"That's great!" Iruka said. "Congratulations!"

"Ne, ne, can we go for ramen?" Naruto begged Iruka, stars in his eyes. Iruka grinned.

"Of course," he conceded before turning to the others. "You're all welcome to come if you'd like."

"I'd be delighted to," Kakashi said, not missing a chance to be near Iruka. He turned to Sakura and Sasuke. "See this as time for you guys to get to know each other better. I'm certain there's a lot for you to three to discuss."

"Hn," Sasuke said, conceding. Sakura agreed as well, seeing that Sasuke was going.

As they got to Ichiraku's and made their orders, Kakashi turned to Iruka.

"So, Iruka-sensei… anything I should know about these three troublemakers?" he inquired with a smile as he engaged the other teacher in conversation.

"That was an interesting move you made back there…" Sakura reluctantly complimented Naruto as they ate. Naruto looked at her curiously.

"What move?" he asked her curiously.

"Turning yourself into the Yondaime," Sakura said. "How did you know that it would work?"

"I said it before, didn't I? Kakashi-sensei had been taught by one of the best shinobi in Konoha. That was the Yondaime. So I figured, what better to throw him off than the spontaneous sighting of his former sensei?"

"So it was a wild guess?" Sasuke declared raising an eyebrow.

"Pretty much. I'm glad it worked," Naruto said, grin widening. Sasuke and Sakura sighed.

"Once a dobe, always a dobe," the Uchiha said. "What would you have done if that _hadn't_ worked?"

"I would have come up with something else, I guess," Naruto said. "And don't call me dobe!"

"Usoratonkachi," Sasuke retorted, making Naruto glare at him.

"At least I wasn't stuck up to my head in the ground!" he shot back, earning a scathing glare from Sasuke. Naruto paid it no mind as he turned his attention back to his precious Iruka-sensei, regaling him with the story of how they'd passed Kakashi's exam.

Minato observed them silently, not interfering. Naruto would enter the shinobi world for real now. He had to think of how he would go about teaching Naruto everything he needed to know for the future. As much as Minato would love to go protecting Naruto forever, Naruto would need to be independent and able to stand on his own two feet.

~**Don't worry so much, he'll be fine,**~ Kyuubi told Minato. ~**He's our kit after all.**~

"Yeah… you're right," Minato agreed, watching his son with pride.

* * *

If you have any questions, particularly on how things work with Naruto and Minato's connection, feel free to ask. Still trying to describe it properly but just in case...


	5. A CRanked Mission

Sorry it took me so long. It took me a while to puzzle over how I was going to do the Wave arc. I'd written it before but decided I just didn't like how I'd done it so I'm giving it a fresh new start.

It's unbetaed but I'm hoping it's good enough.

I'm closing the poll as of now. In the end, Shikamaru won out with Gaara coming in second. So the pairing will be ShikaNaru from now on, may have one-sided GaaNaru, or simply fraternal GaaNaru, you can pick on that too if you'd like.

**Disclaimer**:

---

Chapter Four: A C-Rank Mission

Naruto sulked as he sat in the Mission Office, watching the Daimyo's wife coddle her miserable cat, Tora.

"I really hate that cat…" he hissed, wiping blood from one of the scratches he'd earned from the feisty animal.

"You'd think you'd be good with animals, Whiskers," Ino chirped as she and her team clambered into the office. "Hi, Sasuke-kun!" The blonde kunoichi winked flirtatiously at Sasuke, who just groaned in frustration. Shikamaru and Chouji rolled their eyes while Sakura seethed at Ino's presence.

"He is, just not cats," Kakashi inserted, ignoring the potential fangirl clash that was threatening to occur. "You should have seen the _foxes_. The babies clung to Naruto like he was their mother and the adult males followed him like lovesick puppies." The amusement in his eye irritated Naruto.

"I'll get you for this…" the kitsune muttered under his breath, crossing his arms as everybody laughed. ~_It's not like it's my fault I have a vixen sealed inside my body._~

Minato began to chuckle nervously. ~Eh heh… that's mine, actually.~

~**Way to make me feel unwanted…**~ Kyuubi grumbled.

~Maa, maa… You know we love you, Kyuu-chan,~ Minato said in a comforting tone.

~_Tou-san wants Kyuu-chan to be my new Kaa-chan!_~ Naruto teased, enjoying how flustered Minato became.

~Naru-chan should help his Tou-san out and keep his mouth shut,~ the Yondaime bit out, sweatdropping.

~**Nooo, Naru-chan should keep on talking,**~ Kyuubi stated in a teasing voice.

Naruto was distracted from his internal conversation when he was forced to dodge an irate Sakura's fist. "What?" he asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Listen when the Hokage is talking to you!" she scolded him. "You were just standing there with that stupid goofy smile on your face!"

Naruto merely stuck his tongue out at Sakura playfully before turning to the Sandaime and Iruka. "So you were saying something?" he asked.

Sarutobi sighed. "I was giving you an option. Either you can continue D-rank missions in your separate teams, or you can do a C-rank mission alongside Team 10. Which do you prefer?"

"The C-rank," was Naruto's instantaneous response.

"Considering the others have also agreed on this path, there are two missions you can choose from," Iruka informed the two teams. "The first mission consists of you escorting a man back to Nami-no-Kuni and help him complete his bridge he's building. The second would lead you to escorting a caravan to Tsuchi-no-Kuni…"

"No!" the Sandaime and Kakashi exclaimed together in a rather vehement tone.

Iruka, Sakura, Sasuke and Team 10 looked at the two of them with puzzled expressions.

"Is there a particular reason why you refused to go to Tsuchi-no-Kuni?" Asuma inquired.

"Considering Kakashi's history with Iwagakure. It would be best for all of you to avoid going there," the Sandaime explained.

'_There's more to it than that,_' Shikamaru thought with a frown. He'd seen how both the Hokage and Kakashi's eyes had flickered to Naruto. Naruto was part of the equation… but how?

"So you'll take the mission to Nami-no-Kuni?" Sarutobi asked. Kakashi and Asuma nodded. "Then I'll invite your client into the room."

A drunken old man stumbled into the room, cradling a battle of sake. He stared at the two teams, not impressed.

"Two adults and a bunch of brats… I feel safe already," he said sarcastically.

"This is the carpenter, Tazuna. You know what your mission entails. Prepare for it accordingly. You have until tomorrow morning. I suggest you all try to get used to each other to some degree. If your teamwork is flawed, it's a recipe for disaster," the Sandaime stated.

"Like he needs to preach about teamwork, it's not like we haven't learned our lesson when it comes to that," Sakura grumbled as they all trudged out of the Mission Office.

"Well, perhaps if you actually showed signs of acting like a good team, he wouldn't have to keep preaching it," Kakashi pointed out. "You're better than you were during the Genin test, but you three still need to learn how to work together. Now you have more comrades that you will have to work alongside, so you better shape up."

"I would gladly try if it wasn't for the fact that Sasuke just refuses to get that stick out o his ass and collaborate with us," Naruto grunted. "That stupid pride of his makes him think he's better than us!"

"Don't talk about Sasuke-kun like that!" both Sakura and Ino screamed, pounding their fists into Naruto's head as punishment.

"Itai…" Naruto whined for effect. It hadn't hurt as much as it could have as he'd softened the impact with his wind, just enough to keep it from knocking his lights out but not enough for the two kunoichi to notice it.

"Why do you rile them up like that, Naruto?" Shikamaru asked, raising an eyebrow. "You know insulting their precious 'Sasuke-kun' is only going to lead you to getting hurt."

"It's not my fault that they can't handle the truth," Naruto snorted as he continued to walk through the village.

Shikamaru shook his head before noticing the looks of hatred that were directed towards Naruto. He had always wondered what Naruto had done to earn such universal dislike directed towards him but no one would tell him. It was up to him to find out but the answer continued to elude him. For a while, Shikamaru had passed it off as too troublesome to look into. The last thing he needed was to have his attention focused on the equally troublesome blonde who was more trouble than he was worth.

What puzzled him the most, however, was how Naruto could keep on smiling despite facing such open hostility… not to mention why Kakashi, who had only been Naruto's teacher for a month or so, was intimidating the villagers who dared look at the kitsune the wrong way with a chilling glare.

Why was the infamous Copy Nin so protective of Naruto of all people? It just didn't make sense.

"I didn't think you would care this much about your students so soon, Kakashi," Asuma muttered quietly to Kakashi, so that the Genin couldn't hear him. He too had noticed the oddity in Kakashi's behavior.

"Naruto is… precious to me," Kakashi admitted, eye turning cold as he stared at the blind villagers.

"Quite a surprise. I had figured the Uchiha would have been your favored student…" Asuma commented.

"I will pay attention to him, but only out of duty," Kakashi said, thinking of Obito.

"So where are we going, Asuma-sensei?" Chouji asked curiously.

"To meet with Kurenai-sensei," the bearded Jounin-sensei exclaimed. "She will want to know about this mission." He glared as he heard Kakashi cough "whipped" under his breath.

"I can say hi to Hinata-chan!" Naruto cheered, glad that he could finally see his 'sister' again.

"Excited to see your girlfriend, Whiskers?" Ino teased.

"She's not my girlfriend, she's family," Naruto countered Ino's assumption.

"Making up your own family, dobe? Finally got sick of not having one?" Sasuke drawled, earning a vicious glare not only from Naruto but from Kakashi as well.

"Just because you like to brood over your last family and refuse to accept anyone else in to fill that hole you call your heart doesn't mean that you have to ruin everyone else's chances for a family!" Naruto declared. Sasuke glared before lunging at the kitsune, only to get flung away by a large of gust of wind.

'_There it is again,_' Kakashi thought with a frown. That hadn't been Naruto's chakra that had repelled Sasuke's attack, nor was it the Kyuubi's… but it felt familiar nonetheless. He pushed the niggling thought that was trying to make itself known into the back of his head. It couldn't be _his_ chakra, he was dead.

"That's enough out of you two," Asuma said, sounding disapproving of the argument between the two teammates. He turned to Kakashi. "For someone who values teamwork so much, Kakashi, you certainly aren't enforcing it."

"Maa, they're normally good at keeping their arguments out of their shinobi work," Kakashi said, sending a warning look to the two chastised Genin.

~_It's not like I was the one who retaliated,_~ Naruto mused. Minato had the grace to look a little sheepish.

~He was out of line,~ Minato justified his actions. He was furious with Sasuke for his callous talk of Naruto's family.

The group walked in silence until the point that they arrived at the training grounds where Team 8 was currently working.

"Hinata-chan!" Naruto cheered as he approached the shy Hyuuga girl. She smiled at him softly.

"Hello, Naruto-kun…" she greeted. Naruto had helped her overcome her stuttering problem during the years they had known each other but she was still a little too shy for her own good. He intended to change that.

"Guess what? We're going on a C-ranked mission with Team 10. It's about time that Hokage-jii-chan let us go!" the kitsune cheered.

"That's great," she said with a smile, happy for her friend.

"Why does she talk so easily with him and not us?" a put out Kiba asked as he joined Sasuke, Sakura, Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji on the sidelines alongside Shino.

"Well, they were friends during our days at the Academy, weren't they?" Chouji pointed out. "When Naruto wasn't causing trouble with us, he spent his time with her."

"Oh yeah…" Kiba remarked, still looking a little envious.

Naruto and Hinata caught up with each other for a while before the presence of a newly arrived nin.

"Hinata-sama, your father requests your presence back at home," Neji said coldly, staring at Hinata as if she was lower than dirt. Naruto glared at him. He hated how mean Neji had always been to Hinata.

"H-hai, Neji-nii-san," Hinata acknowledged with a bow. She bid everyone goodbye before leaving with her cousin.

"Who was that?" Sakura asked curiously. '_He was kind of cute._'

"Hyuuga Neji, Hinata's cousin. He's never been really nice to her," Naruto said, still glaring after the cold boy.

~He's still not over the Kumo incident,~ Minato mused. Both he and Naruto were well aware of what had happened that fateful day… considering that they had attempted to take Naruto away from the village as well.

"If you're all done socializing, I'd suggest you start getting ready for our mission. We'll be away from the village for a while," Asuma said. The six Genin nodded, said goodbye to Kurenai, Kiba and Shino and headed off to their own separate homes.

~_It was nice to see Hinata again. It looks like she's learning a lot under Kurenai's eye,_~ Naruto said, sounding pleased. It was nice to be around the one person who knew that he was not the idiot everyone perceived him to be. He'd grown tired of having to live a lie.

~So it would seem,~ Minato agreed. ~You should prepare for the mission. Considering this will be your first time out of the village, you should be weary.~

~_You worry too much, Tou-san,_~ Naruto sighed with a shake of his head.

~With good reason. You have a lot of enemies out there,~ Minato remarked. Naruto snorted.

~_I've just become a Genin and I've already got so many enemies?_~ he scoffed.

~Well, not only are you the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, but you are my son as well. If anyone was to learn that...~ Minato began.

~_Then I'd be in a shit load of trouble. I know,_~ Naruto drawled. ~_I'll be careful._~

~I know you will,~ Minato agreed. ~But anything can happen during a mission.~

~_We'll just have to be ready for the worst, now won't we?_~ Naruto responded.

~You're not even worried... I should have expected that,~ Minato remarked with a shake of his head.

~_You should have,_~ Naruto agreed. Minato just ruffled his hair.

~I've got something for you,~ he commented. Naruto's eyebrows rose in interest.

~_You do?_~ he asked. ~_What is it?_~ Minato smiled before a three-pronged kunai dropped in front of Naruto, completely solid despite having originated from a spirit.

~Consider it a promise,~ Minato commented. ~Do well in this mission and I'll start training you in the Hiraishin. Granted it will take a long while. Your body isn't yet prepared to handle the Hiraishin. Even with how quickly you learn things, it will be difficult.~

Naruto beamed at his father, eyes shining with excitement. ~_I can handle anything you throw at me, Tou-san,_~ he said.

~That's what I'm counting on,~ Minato responded.

* * *

"Let's go!" Naruto cheered the next day once everyone had met up in front of the gate to the outside of the village.

"What are you so excited about, dobe?" Sasuke asked with a frown.

"I've never left the village before," Naruto exclaimed, looking left and right. "I can't help but be excited!"

"Am I really safe with this brat?" Tazuna hissed under his breath to Kakashi. He didn't look very convinced of Naruto's battle prowess.

"Maa, Asuma and I are both Jounin. You are quite safe, Tazuna-san," Kakashi encouraged the drunken bridge worker.

Naruto just glared at Tazuna, miffed before continuing to walk.

'_Weird… I was so sure he would have spazzed out, screaming about becoming Hokage and all of that…,_' Ino thought, surprised by Naruto's self-control.

"So… did you guys learn anything interesting yet?" Chouji asked as they all walked away from the village.

"Not really… Kakashi spends a lot of time training Sasuke though," Naruto drawled.

~I'm still annoyed by that…~ Minato admitted before smirking. ~Then again, it doesn't matter. You've got the better sensei as it is.~

~**Cocky, aren't you?**~ Kyuubi sneered without malice.

~Hey, I've got every right to be,~ Minato shot back with a smirk.

~_Careful, Tou-san… you're beginning to sound like an Uchiha…_~ Naruto teased. Minato looked affronted.

~Take that back, brat!~ Minato exclaimed, materializing and proceeding to chase his hysterical offspring around the place.

"Is he alright?" Tazuna asked Kakashi, raising an eyebrow at the boy who seemed to be running around for no reason. He looked to be suffering from ADHD.

"Don't worry, he's just being Naruto, it's perfectly normal," Kakashi said, eyes gleaming with mirth at Naruto's bright attitude.

"Stop being so immature, Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed, ashamed by her teammate's behavior. She aimed to punch him but found her efforts blocked by a mysterious wind that appeared out of nowhere. It cushioned the blow enough that Naruto was only pushed off his feet.

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed. '_That's the second time today that wind has saved Naruto from injury. Now is it Naruto himself that's producing it or someone else?_' he thought.

"What did you do that for, Sakura-chan?" Naruto pouted.

"You were making us look bad," Sakura glowered. "Why can't you be more like Sasuke-kun?"

"Not everyone wants to be an emo bastard," Naruto grouched, dodging both Sakura and Ino's indignant swipes.

"Why do you bait them? It's so troublesome," Shikamaru sighed as Naruto settled in between him and Chouji.

"Simple… I'm waiting to see when they'll outgrow their fan girl tendencies. From what I see… they have a long way to go," Naruto said.

"Don't you have a crush on Sakura-san?" Chouji asked Naruto curiously.

"No, not really," Naruto shrugged.

"Then why do you flirt with her?" Shikamaru asked with a raised eyebrow. Naruto grinned foxily.

"Just for fun," he said impishly. Shikamaru smirked. Naruto never ceased to amaze him.

That's when Sakura started asking Tazuna about Nami-no-Kuni and Kakashi and Asuma began to explain to them about the Five Great Nations and the Kages.

"Hokage-sama is that good?" Ino asked in surprise.

Asuma nodded, thinking of his father. "He's held the longest time than all four of our beloved Hokage. He was trained by the Shodaime and Nidaime and trained the three Legendary Sannin: Jiraiya, Tsunade and Orochimaru. He was known as the Professor when he was young because he knew every jutsu in Konoha," he explained.

"If you think he's impressive, you should have seen how strong the Yondaime Hokage was," Naruto said, beaming.

"Sensei was quite impressive. Even as I am today I would have had no hope of defeating him in battle if he was still alive today," Kakashi said, his eye gaining a far off look.

~**You better stop talking about him before Mina-_chan_ gets a swelled head,**~ Kyuubi remarked, sounding quite amused.

~Mina-chan?~ Minato repeated, his nose scrunching up in displeasure. ~Sounds like a girl's name.~

~_Welcome to how I feel when you call me Naru-chan,_~ Naruto said, feeling no pity for his father. Minato just pouted.

As they walked and chatted, they passed by a puddle, but only Minato, Kakashi, Asuma and Shikamaru noticed the oddity of it.

As they walked past it, two black clad figures appeared out of it, wrapping shuriken covered wire around Asuma and Kakashi, tearing them apart in front of the shocked Genins' eyes.

"Two down…" the two nin intoned together.

"Kyaaa!" Sakura and Ino exclaimed in horror at the graphic sight.

Naruto remained stunned for a moment before he sensed both the rogue nin behind him.

"Three down," they whispered simultaneously.

Eyes wide in surprise, Naruto was quick to retaliate, surrounding himself in a wind barrier before Minato punched the two Kiri nuke-nin away from his son.

'_His wind acts like it has a mind of its own. Not even Asuma-sensei's acts like that,_' Shikamaru thought as he observed Naruto, moving quickly to immobilize the rogue nin using _Kage Mane no jutsu._

He only caught one of them.

The other lunged for Tazuna. Ino and Sakura leaped in the way, trying to protect him.

Sasuke butted in at that moment, tackling the nuke-nin to the ground and engaging him in a Taijutsu battle.

"Someone do something soon. I can only hold this guy for so long," Shikamaru grunted.

"_Fuuton: Daitoppa!_" Naruto cried and the gale of wind knocked the nin Shikamaru had just released into a nearby tree with a sickening crack.

There was a grunt from behind Naruto and everyone looked to see that Kakashi had knocked out Sasuke's opponent. Asuma was leaning on a nearby tree lazily.

Ino and Sakura stared at the two Jounin-senseis in shock.

"We thought you died!" they chorused together.

"You don't think that would have been enough to defeat us, did you?" Kakashi asked. "You have such little faith in your senseis…"

"Well, how were we supposed to know any better?" Ino grumbled.

"Well, they _are _Jounin," Naruto pointed out. "That's not just an empty title."

"Oh be quiet, Whiskers," Ino exclaimed. "Stop acting like such a know-it-all… you were the dead last of the academy."

"This dead last did more than you did to defend us," Naruto huffed.

"That you did," Kakashi agreed. "I wasn't aware that you knew an elemental jutsu like that, Naruto. When did you find out your elemental affinity?"

"A while ago. I haven't really been hiding it, Kakashi. The wind's been protecting me from everything, if you recall," Naruto pointed out.

"That's right…" Kakashi realized. '_A wind affinity just like his father…_'

"A wind affinity is a rare one…" Asuma mused. "Not many would be able to teach you how to use wind-style jutsus. Other than me, the only other wind user in Konoha had been the Yondaime Hokage himself and he's been dead for nearly thirteen years as all of us know…"

"I've been learning from scrolls," Naruto lied. "Once I learned that wind was my affinity I was quick to try learning how to use wind-style jutsu."

'_Since when has Naruto ever learned from scrolls?_' Shikamaru thought to himself with a small frown.

"Now that you're finished interrogating Naruto about his newfound skills," Sakura said impatiently. "Can you tell us who these guys are?"

"The Demon Brothers. They're nuke-nin from Kirigakure," Asuma explained. "We knew they were there the moment we noticed a puddle on a sunny day like this. We let them believe we were dead so we could observe who they're target was: us or our client."

Kakashi stared at the sweating Tazuna gravely. "I think you haven't been completely honest with us…"

~I knew this mission was going to get nasty… it would be just your luck,~ Minato hmphed.

~_Seems exciting to me,_~ Naruto shot back, eyes wide in excitement.

~That's what I'm afraid of,~ Minato muttered.

---

Now I'm not entirely sure about Asuma and Minato being the only wind users, but I just went with it anyways. Ah well…

The debate I've been having with myself as of late is what to do with Haku and Zabuza:

1) They die just like they did in the anime/manga.

2) They live and go to Konohagakure with everybody.

3) They live and wander through the nations, acting as a informant for Naruto and Minato.

Tell me what you think about it. Still trying to consider pros and cons.


	6. Zabuza

Sorry for the delay. Not only was schoolwork escalating but I kept puzzling over how to go about the battle with Zabuza, particularly with Team Ten along for the ride.

I decided to go with Zabuza and Haku surviving the battle. **Lucillia** actually brought up a possibility I hadn't even thought of with Zabuza continuing to wander and Haku coming to Konoha. What do you think of it? Good/bad?

**Lucillia**: thanks for bringing up a possibility that may just work. Good logic.

**EternalKnight219**: I think I already mentioned that Kushina died somewhere in the story… or was that in the original prologue…

**Little prince ryo**: I guess I'll show some aspects of Sasuke as Naruto's best friend but he's going to be a prick. With how things are going, he'll surely dislike Naruto's progress.

**InARealPickle**: I know in the actual manga that they never mentioned Minato's affinity, but I established his wind affinity in the story, just had been a little confused. Thanks for pointing out some of my mistakes. Will try to work with some of them. Chapter 1 was actually the only chapter that I kept as it was without the mass edits I've been doing as I'm reworking the story, so I might have forgotten some of the discrepancies made about Minato's strange existence.

If anybody has any questions about Minato and how he's able to do whatever he does, feel free to ask. I'm trying to explain it as smoothly as I can in the story but I may forget a few things…

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto. *sighs*

----

Chapter Five: Zabuza

Tazuna, Sasuke, Naruto, Shikamaru and Chouji sat in the boat heading for Nami-no-Kuni while Kakashi and Asuma walked on water with Sakura and Ino on their backs, respectively.

Now Naruto could have water walked as well, but he'd already displayed enough odd abilities for the day. Kakashi and Asuma were suspicious enough as it was.

Tazuna had just finished telling them about Gato and his tyranny against Nami-no-Kuni, guilting the shinobi into staying beside him.

~They will send more dangerous shinobi after you now that they know that the Demon Brothers failed,~ Minato mused. ~Such a dangerous situation for your first mission out of the country… this is virtually A-class.~

~**Oh stop grumbling, Minato. Kakashi and Asuma are still here, aren't they? They should be more than enough. If it still gets out of hand, there's you,**~ Kyuubi drawled.

~Oh yes, not only would I expose Naruto to his companions but I'd scream to all the nations that I'm still alive,~ Minato shot back.

~**I was only dishing out possibilities… **_**I**_** can always come out and have some fun. You haven't let me have any,**~ Kyuubi said, eyes gleaming. She was longing for some freedom.

~We'll see,~ Minato decided.

~_Thank you for trying to plan out __**my**__ mission_,~ Naruto quipped, sounding amused. Minato and Kyuubi had the grace to look sheepish.

Naruto returned to attention when he saw someone snapping their fingers in front of his face.

"Geez, Naruto, the least you could do was pay attention. We're already in Nami-no-Kuni and you're stupidly staring off in space!" Sakura snapped.

"I don't gripe about you and Ino drooling over Sasuke-teme now do I?" Naruto countered. "So why don't you give me the same courtesy and leave me to my thoughts."

Sakura opened and closed her mouth, not having expected the smartass statement coming from the guy who'd supposedly had a crush on her.

Ino was about to make a comment when Shikamaru groaned. "If you guys haven't noticed, we're supposed to be lying low. Don't make a scene," he declared.

They all went quiet as Tazuna led them towards his house.

"Do you think we can really pull off a mission like this, Shikamaru?" Chouji whispered to his best friend as they walked.

"If we do things correctly, then maybe," Shikamaru yawned. "All I know is that it's troublesome…"

"Everything is troublesome to you, Shikamaru," Naruto snorted as he walked beside the two Team 10 members. Shikamaru just rolled his eyes.

"What's most troublesome is you and that strange wind of yours…" the shadow user grumbled, noting how Naruto stiffened ever so slightly.

"I don't see how it's strange," Naruto murmured, not quite meeting Shikamaru's eyes.

"It's almost sentient, Naruto. It doesn't even look like _you_ are controlling it," Shikamaru whispered so only Naruto could hear.

"You're just seeing things," Naruto lied.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not," Shikamaru retorted. "We'll have to see about that now won't we?"

~The kid's too observant for his own good,~ Minato stated chagrined. ~We'll have to be careful around him.~

~_Yeah…_~ a rather unnerved Naruto responded.

Naruto detected movement nearby and sent a kunai into a nearby bush, startling everyone.

"Damn it, Naruto! Don't waste your weapons! You scared us!" Sakura scolded.

"Something's there," Naruto defended himself.

Frowning, Kakashi went to investigate and he saw a frightened white rabbit underneath the kunai.

"It's just a rabbit, idiot," Sakura spat out, rolling her eyes.

~A _white_ rabbit? At this time of year?~ Minato frowned before he heard the sound of something whistling through the air. ~Duck!~

Kakashi and Asuma pushed Sakura and Ino down, Sasuke tackled Tazuna, Shikamaru pulled Chouji down and Minato shielded Naruto, sending the spinning sword that had come at them flying away into a different direction.

The Jounin were quick to get on their feet to see a man with bandages covering his mouth and nose. His hitai-ite, which lay sideways on his head, displayed the symbol of Kirigakure.

The man stared at both Kakashi and Asuma, interest gleaming in his eyes.

"Momochi Zabuza, nuke-nin of Kirigakure," Kakashi declared, staring at the man with narrowed eyes.

~He's a dangerous one… from that sword I can only deduce that he's one of the Seven Swordsmen…~ Minato realized. ~He'll be a difficult one to beat.~

"Stay back," Asuma ordered the Genin. "You won't be able to fight this one. He's beyond your level."

"For this opponent, I may have to use this…" Kakashi decided, placing a hand over his hitai-ite.

"Sharingan no Kakashi and Sarutobi Asuma of the Niju Shotai…" Zabuza began before his eyes fell on Tazuna. "Sorry but the old man's mine."

'_Sharingan?_' Sasuke gaped, more than a little shocked. He glanced over at his teammates to see that Sakura, Ino, and Chouji looked surprised, Shikamaru looked bored and Naruto looked… expectant?

"Surround and protect Tazuna," Asuma ordered the Genin. "We'll take care of this."

"Zabuza… fight us first," Kakashi stated as he pulled up his hitai-ite to reveal his sole Sharingan eye. Asuma pulled out his blades as he got into a fighting stance.

"So I've already got to see the Sharingan eye… I'm honored," Zabuza drawled, eyes gleaming.

"When I was in the ANBU squad of Kirigakure, I read about the two of you in the Bingo Book. You're the pride of Konoha's shinobi force. It will prove to be interesting to fight you…" Zabuza drawled.

~Looks like the Uchiha's confused about Kakashi's eyes… that look suits him,~ Minato said, voice filled with spite as he gazed upon Sasuke's dumbstruck face.

~_You really don't like the Uchiha clan, do you?_~ Naruto commented.

~Not after the sort of hell they put Obito through back when he was still alive. The only shinobi with the Uchiha name I'd liked other than Obito was Itachi,~ Minato declared. ~That was back when he'd been just a little kid though. I'd had no clue that he would do what he had done…~

~_You choose a mass murderer over Konoha's last loyal Uchiha, now that's ironic,_~ Naruto snorted, eyes filled with mirth despite the situation they all were facing.

"Let's stop with the talking," Zabuza declared. "I've got to kill the old man."

The moment he said that, the Genin had leapt into a protective formation around the stunned bridge builder. Zabuza's eyes turned back to Kakashi and Asuma.

"But I have to beat the two of you first, don't I?" he realized before disappearing and reappearing on the surface of the water, his left arm held straight pointing upwards and his right hovering in front of his mouth. His fingers were twisted in the form of a seal. "_Ninpou: Kirigakure no Jutsu!_"

A heavy mist surrounded the area, unnerving the Genin and putting the Jounin on edge.

"Where did he go?" a shocked Chouji exclaimed, noticing that Zabuza was no longer within viewing range.

"He'll come after either Asuma or I first," Kakashi deduced. "As a former member of Kirigakure's ANBU, he's a master of silent killing."

"You wouldn't even notice until you're dead," Asuma elaborated. "As Kakashi can't use his Sharingan perfectly, all of you should be careful."

'_What a drag,_' Shikamaru thought with a sigh, noting how scared Ino and Sakura looked as they inched closer together while still standing guard. His eyes fell on Naruto, surprised to see how calm the boy was despite the uncertain situation. He'd half expected the hot-headed boy to start making a ruckus.

Then again, he could feel that strange chakra surrounding Naruto again. The guardian was making its presence known to deal with the threat.

'_Looks like I'll get to observe you up close and personal this time…_' Shikamaru thought.

"Eight choices…" Zabuza's voice rang out through the mist, scaring Sakura and Ino even more.

"Where is he?" Sakura whispered nervously, eyes raking through the mist as she grew more jittery with every passing minute.

"Liver, lungs, spine, subclavian vein, jugular vein, brain, kidneys, heart… which one should I go after?" Zabuza hissed.

~He's using scare tactics,~ Minato pointed out, trying to ensure that his son would remain cool in the face of danger.

'_What a dangerous killing intent… I feel like I'll be killed if I even move. This could drive somebody insane… The intensity of a Jounin… I can barely stand it. I feel like he's squeezing the life out of me._' Sasuke thought, trembling as he held his kunai. '_I'd rather die to get it over with…_'

~_Those tactics are working,_~ Naruto mused as he heard Chouji's scared whimpers and saw Sasuke's fear.

"Don't worry Sasuke, Chouji… I'll protect you guys even if it kills me." Kakashi began as he turned to face them with an eye smile. "I don't let my comrades die."

"We'll see about that!" Zabuza exclaimed as he breached the Genin's formation, standing directly in front of Tazuna with his sword drawn. "It's over…" he declared gleefully, swinging his sword down towards the bridge builder but was surprised when Naruto blocked him, using an odd tri-pronged kunai that he'd pulled out from his weapons pack.

"Naruto!" Kakashi exclaimed out in surprise. He had been about to defend them himself and had gotten surprised by Naruto's quick movement. Due to the fog, he completely missed seeing the familiar kunai. All he knew was that his student was facing off against a _very_ dangerous opponent.

"You're a brave little brat, aren't you?" Zabuza sneered, eyes on the feisty Jinchuuriki. "Or are you just foolish?"

He aimed to strike Naruto down, but Kakashi acted right then and there, stabbing Zabuza in the back while pushing all of the Genin and Tazuna away to produce room for the battle.

~That was reckless of you, Naruto,~ Minato scolded, watching as Naruto quickly concealed the Hiraishin kunai. ~What did you use that blade for anyways?~

~_It was the easiest one to reach,_~ Naruto admitted. ~_And I couldn't let him kill Tazuna, no matter how annoying he is._~

He looked up just in time to see Zabuza appear behind Kakashi just as water began to pour out from where Kakashi had stabbed the Zabuza in front of him. He called out to warn Kakashi.

Kakashi turned around just in time to get sliced in half by the swordsman's blade. He dissolved into water just like the clone he'd stabbed.

'_A Mizu Bunshin?_' Zabuza thought in disbelief. '_He copied it in the mist?_'

At that moment, Asuma went at Zabuza, infusing his chakra into his trench knives as he did.

Zabuza whirled on him, blocking with his sword and kicking Asuma away before freezing as he felt a kunai at his throat.

"Don't move," Kakashi hissed. "It's over."

"It's over?" Zabuza laughed derisively. "You just don't get it, do you? There's no way you two could beat me. I'm not that easy to beat." Kakashi's eyes widened as Zabuza appeared behind him once more.

With some quick moves, Zabuza had knocked both Kakashi and Asuma into the water.

"Something's wrong," Asuma frowned as he felt how heavy the water was.

"Got you," Zabuza sneered. "_Suiton: Suiro no Jutsu._"

Asuma and Kakashi were quickly caught up in a sphere of water, unable to escape.

"Sensei!" Ino and Sakura cried out in shock, worried. They couldn't believe that Kakashi and Asuma had gotten caught.

"It makes things tough if you two can move, you know?" Zabuza stated. "I'll deal with you later. _Mizu Bunshin no Jutsu._"

A water clone appeared in front of the shocked Genin. "Wearing hitai-ite and acting like real shinobi… but you know what? Real shinobi have already faced multiple brushes with death. Only when you get good enough to be in the Bingo Book, that will be when I see you as real shinobi. As of now, you're nothing but stupid brats!" the clone sneered before vanishing from sight.

"Where did he go?" Chouji exclaimed, sounding more than a little panicked.

~Behind you!~ Minato warned his son a little too late and Naruto got kicked hard enough that his hitai-ite fell off. Before he could land on the ground, Minato caught him, appearing as if the wind itself had cushioned the boy's fall.

"Naruto!" Sakura called out, sounding worried as the boy stayed hunched on the ground, wiping the blood from his lip.

"I'm fine," he assured her, getting up gingerly. '_The guy's really fast… I'll have to be careful._'

"You're no match for me, you should just hand over the bridge builder," Zabuza drawled, looking at the weary Genin with disdain.

"Get away from here! Take Tazuna and run!" Kakashi ordered. "There's no way you can win this! As long as he has us in this prison, he can't move. Take this chance and run!"

"But Kakashi-sensei…" Sakura protested. She didn't want to leave the two Jounins to Zabuza's mercy.

"Damn it…" Shikamaru scowled. He knew they wouldn't stand a chance on this mission without their Jounin-sensei's help. They were truly out of their league. Once Zabuza finished Kakashi and Asuma, he'd go after them and then they'd all be dead.

"Shikamaru… take everyone away from here," Naruto instructed the boy, fire burning in his eyes.

Raising an eyebrow in surprise, Shikamaru gazed at Naruto closely. "What about you?"

"I'm going to save our senseis," was the Jinchuuriki's simple reply, a confident smirk plastered on his face.

"Are you crazy? What hopes do you have of beating that guy? He just kicked your ass!" Ino protested with anger flaring in her eyes.

"Just trust me," Naruto requested. If everyone was gone, there were chances that he could break his mask and go all out. Even if he didn't stand a chance against Zabuza, he could buy some time for the others.

Sasuke snorted. "Don't act like a martyr, dobe. If you're staying, I'm staying too," he declared. No way was he going to let Naruto get one up on him.

"Then I am too," Sakura insisted, ever the loyal fangirl, even if she was scared out of her mind.

"Then me –," Ino began before Shikamaru wrapped an arm around her waist and began to drag her away as Chouji and Tazuna followed.

"You better make it out of this alive," Shikamaru called back at them.

"We will," Naruto promised, albeit chagrined that he wouldn't be able to do what he'd originally planned now that Sasuke and Sakura were sticking with him. Eyes falling on the hitai-ite that Zabuza was stepping on, his eyes hardened with determination.

Letting out a battle cry, he lunged forward at the nuke-nin.

"No! Don't!" Kakashi protested, eyes wide in apprehension.

"What are you doing?" Sakura exclaimed, not believing her eyes.

"Idiot," Zabuza snorted, aiming to strike the boy but as Naruto dove for the hitai-ite, the wind blocked Zabuza's blow, leaving Naruto unharmed.

Gathering wind around his fingers, making them look like claws, Naruto swung forward, digging the wind claws through the clone's body, making it disintegrate into water.

"What?" Zabuza gaped, not having expected the pitiful looking Genin to actually dispel his clone with such practiced ease.

~_Thanks for the backup,_~ Naruto told his dad.

~No problem,~ Minato responded with a smirk.

"He actually did it?!" Asuma gaped, looking at Kakashi. "What have you taught him?"

'_Nothing of real value…_' Kakashi admitted to himself. He hadn't really gotten down to training his team like one should just yet. This was a major reminder that he needed to shape up. Nevertheless, he was surprised by Naruto's ability using wind chakra. It was almost too advanced looking for a Genin.

Then again, Naruto had been doing a lot of things that surprised Kakashi. He still hadn't been able to figure out how he'd managed to pull off the Minato imitation back during his test. It seemed impossible in Kakashi's eyes that Naruto could have gotten that accurate with how Minato was, even with him idolizing the Yondaime as he did. The Taijutsu,, in particular, had been too perfect. No one should have been able to imitate somebody else's Taijutsu so perfectly. It made Kakashi wonder if that had really been his former Sensei for real but he knew that was impossible. Minato was dead. He'd seen the body himself…

'_This is the dead last of the Academy? He's a lot better than I thought he would have been,_' Asuma thought to himself before his eyes narrowed. '_Nevertheless, his ability with the wind is too advanced for a mere Genin…_'

"So you got lucky with the clone. That doesn't change a thing," Zabuza scowled. "You still won't be able to save your senseis."

"We'll see about that," Naruto smirked before turning to Sasuke. "Lend me your ear, I've got a plan."

* * *

"We've got to go back! They're going to get killed! Sasuke-kun's going to die and it will be all your fault!" Ino shrieked as Shikamaru and Chouji dragged her off as Tazuna led them towards his home.

Shikamaru gritted his teeth. "At least you acknowledged that your precious Sasuke-kun doesn't stand a chance… and I'm well aware of the danger they're in! Naruto told me to trust him and that's what we'll have to do…" he declared. '_There's something about the look in Naruto's eyes… he really believed he could do it…_'

"So we have to believe in the Academy's dead last?" Ino inquired hysterically.

"There is more to Naruto than he lets on. He's hiding something from us all. There is something protecting him… that wind of his is sentient, I'm sure of it and the chakra coming from it isn't his own. I'm sure he intends to use that to save our senseis. We'll just have to wait and see what goes on," Shikamaru said, looking more than a little intrigued. "Just do as I say."

Ino stared at Shikamaru, looking rather shocked. It was the first time she'd seen the lazy nin be so active voluntarily.

* * *

The mist had thickened, hiding Zabuza and Kakashi from the Genin's eyes but they knew that Zabuza couldn't move. However, they couldn't be certain that the nuke-nin hadn't produced another Mizu Bunshin.

"On three…" Naruto whispered to Sasuke, flashing his fingers in a silent countdown.

Three…

Two…

One…

"_Fuuton: Daitoppa!_"

"_Katon: Goukyakyu no Jutsu!_"

Zabuza's eyes widened in surprise as a huge flame, strengthened by wind, came flying at him.

"_Suiton: Daibakufu no Jutsu!_" he cried out, dashing the flame out with a lot of water, producing a smoke screen.

There was a whistling in the air, signaling a weapon being thrown and Zabuza was quick to catch the Fuuma Shuriken that Sasuke had thrown at him.

"It will take more than that to defeat me!" the Demon of Kirigakure sneered.

His eyes widened as he saw another shuriken coming at him. Nevertheless, he still dodged it by jumping over. He smirked at Sasuke's failure… until he heard a familiar popping noise.

Looking around, he saw Naruto in the place of the shuriken, throwing a kunai towards his back.

Moving subtly, Zabuza managed to dodge the kunai. The nuke-nin reveled in the look of shock on Naruto's face. It meant the plan, ingenious as it was, had failed.

"You almost got me, brat… but you weren't good enough!" the bandaged man exclaimed, swinging his sword towards Naruto, who was struggling to move in the heavy water.

"Naruto!" Kakashi called out, fearing for his little brother.

A three-pronged kunai stopped the sword's descent and a spark of foreign chakra passed up Zabuza's arm.

Shaking his head to clear it, Zabuza looked forwards and he was surprised to see

someone standing there who hadn't been there before.

Livid blue eyes bore into the nuke-nin as what appeared to be an older version of the orange-clad brat protected the struggling Genin. He wore a typical Konoha Jounin uniform with an all-too-familiar flame cloak that alongside the man's spiky blonde hair and ice-like eyes meant deep trouble for Zabuza.

"Yon –," the Kiri nin began to speak only to get sucker punched by the pissed Yellow Flash.

Zabuza flew back, his hand forcibly ripped out of the water prison, freeing Kakashi and Asuma.

'_Did I imagine that?_' a disbelieving Zabuza thought as he skidded to halt, near Sasuke and Sakura. He looked back and saw no sign of the Yondaime Hokage who'd knocked him silly like _he_ was a pathetic little Genin like the ones he had just faced off against. '_I didn't just see a ghost of a man who has supposedly been dead for nearly thirteen years… did I?_'

'_There was that wind again…_' Asuma thought, frowning as he gazed at Naruto's drenched form. '_Just what's up with this kid?_'

Kakashi pulled Naruto out of the water and carried him to solid ground. He frowned as he felt how heavy the boy was. '_No wonder he has difficulty in water… something's weighing him down…_' he thought to himself. He'd address the situation with Naruto later. "Good job, all of you. Your plan may not have worked the way you wanted it to but you got the job done, somehow… leave the rest to us."

Zabuza glared at the two Jounin before his eyes fell on Naruto. '_There's something __**really**__ weird about that kid… I'll have to keep an eye on him,_' he thought before deciding it was time to deal with the real threat. If he couldn't deal with them, there was little chance he'd be able to continue on and end Tazuna's life.

Kakashi glared right back. '_The moment he decided to attack Naruto, his life was forfeit…_' he thought, furious with how close Naruto had come to getting killed at the bloodthirsty nin's hands. "Asuma… take Naruto back to land and defend my Genin. I'll deal with Zabuza. Things have gotten a little… personal."

Asuma gave Kakashi a funny look but after noticing the steely glint in the ex-ANBU's eyes, quickly conceded. "Very well," he agreed, taking Naruto who had been dangling in Kakashi's grasp and going on land while Zabuza rushed at Kakashi, ready to finish things once and for all.

"You're going to wish you had allowed him to fight with you," Zabuza growled as he faced off against Kakashi.

"He won't be necessary. This battle is as good as over…" Kakashi said coldly. "Your trick was impressive but it won't work on me again…"

"You're beginning to annoy me…" Zabuza snarled and the battle recommenced…

~Something's bothering me about that hunter nin…~ Minato frowned as Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura followed Asuma, who was carrying the now unconscious Kakashi. Kakashi had completely worn himself out from fighting Zabuza. The prolonged use of the Sharingan had sapped most of his strength. Putting that thought to the side, Minato addressed Naruto's actions. ~I should be pissed, you know… that you did something so completely reckless and endangered your life.~ He gave his son a clearly disapproving look.

~_Those who abandon their teammates are trash, remember?_~ Naruto defended himself. ~_Kakashi-sensei was in danger and I wasn't about to just let him get killed. What would you have done?_~

Minato blinked and stared at Naruto with an unreadable look on his face before sighing. ~… Most likely the same thing. You really are too much like your mother…~ he mused.

~_You wouldn't have me any other way, would you?_~ Naruto shot back. Minato smirked.

~Not at all,~ he agreed, ruffling Naruto's hair.

~_Sorry about forcing you to intervene like that,_~ Naruto apologized.

~That's alright. You just need to be more careful from now on. Your plan was brilliant… Zabuza was just too good,~ the blonde Kage remarked.

~_I suppose so…_~ Naruto agreed.

Minato smiled at Naruto before going back to thinking about the strange sense of foreboding he kept feeling.

'_Something tells me that the worst isn't over just yet…_'

---

I skipped the remainder of the battle because it would have just been the same as in the cannon and I didn't think it was needed.

Hope you liked the chapter. Remember to give your input about the most likely plan for Haku and Zabuza. Now all I have to do is find a way to ensure they survive while still getting the necessary things done…


	7. Aftermath

I'm back with another chapter. Looks like I've finally broke the 100th review mark, which is exciting. I've never met this mark while still in the single digit chapters before, it's kind of exciting.

The chapter is a little shorter than the others were, but if I felt like I was a good place to stop otherwise it would have become huge by the time I found another good stopping point. Hope you like it.

All polls are currently closed, my pairings are settled and Haku and Zabuza will live but act as outside sources (although there could be visits to satisfy those who want to see them in Konoha).

I'm looking for a beta as a second opinion would be nice to have, particularly as the time comes to cover certain aspects of the story that need to be treaded on carefully.

**EternalKnight219**: I'm sorry that you don't like the choice of pairing but it's already been settled. Romance is not a terribly big aspect of the story as it's more centered around Naruto and how Minato helps change how his life could have been.

**FifthDayofMay**: I liked the way you made a possible scenario out of your choice in the poll. For something you wrote so late – or early, whichever way you want to see it, I think it's pretty cool.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto, if I did, Minato would still be alive or find a way to pop up again…

-----

Chapter Six: Aftermath

"Is something wrong, Asuma-sensei?" Sakura asked, noting the strange puzzled look on the Jounin-sensei's face as he carried Kakashi on his back towards Tazuna's place, following the subtle hints left by Asuma's team.

"Nothing for you to worry about at the moment," the Sandaime's son declared. He wouldn't talk of his worries at the moment. The Genin were still caught up in the adrenaline of the battle. He didn't want to add more on their plate just yet with his suspicions.

As they got to the house, they were virtually assaulted by a hysterical Ino. She was more than a little relieved that they'd all come back alive, but she was more than a little worried that Kakashi, who had seemed so powerful, was knocked out cold.

"What happened?" she exclaimed. She scanned them, looking for any sign of injury.

"I'll explain everything once we get inside, Ino. Just calm down," Asuma declared as he headed in, guided by a pretty black-haired woman, obviously Tazuna's daughter.

After Kakashi was settled and whatever injury he had gained treated, Asuma settled with the Genin and explained what had happened.

"I really don't understand how Zabuza was forced to release the prison," the elder wind user commented. "One minute he was about to kill Naruto, the next he was forced away like something had hit him hard."

'_Just another odd thing about Naruto. This guardian angel of his must have been pretty worried if he did something so absolutely blatant,_' Shikamaru thought, eyes on Naruto, who wasn't being very forthcoming. The fact that the normally loud-mouthed blonde was being so quiet just made everything more suspicious.

~_This is going to be a pain to make excuses for,_~ Naruto groaned.

~All you need is a good distraction,~ Minato said sagely.

~**We wouldn't be in this mess if it hadn't been for you letting your anger get the better of you. You could have been more subtle,**~ Kyuubi declared in a disapproving manner.

~What did you expect me to do? That son of a bitch was trying to kill our son!~ Minato defended himself. He suddenly faltered as he realized what he'd said.

An incredibly smug aura surrounded the demonness as she strutted towards a sweating Minato, after switching to her very attractive human form. She had long red hair and blood red eyes with a body that most women would kill for. She was wearing a tight red dress that only went up to mid-thigh, her nine crimson tails trailing behind her.

~**You said **_**our**_** child,**~ she purred, running a finger up his chest, a flirtatious gleam in her eyes.

Minato opened and closed his mouth, trying to recover from his little slip up but for once his genius mind seemed to be failing him. The last time something like that had happened was around Kushina.

~N-Naruto's watching…~ he stuttered, trying to dissuade the frisky Queen of the Demons from continuing with her mischief.

~**No he's not… he's too busy trying to explain himself to his friends…**~ Kyuubi declared, nuzzling the Yondaime Hokage's neck, causing pleasant shivers to run down his back.

~H-He'll n-need our help,~ Minato argued. If he'd been still alive, his heart would have been beating a mile a minute.

~**He's a big boy. He can come up with something by himself,**~ she protested, hell-bent on teasing the man who had, for most of their twelve years together, the upper hand in their banter.

~Er… Got to go,~ Minato said before vanishing out of the seal, leaving a put out Kyuubi alone.

~**Damn… almost had him,**~ Kyuubi pouted, snapping a clawed hand.

'_There's that chakra again… it almost seems flustered. That virtually confirms my belief that it's sentient_,' Shikamaru thought. He glanced around and saw Asuma's eyes glinting with awareness as well.

~_It took you long enough to come out_,~ Naruto griped, still trying to find a way to explain Minato's interference in the battle with Zabuza.

~Sorry,~ Minato apologized, not wanting to elaborate on what happened in Naruto's inner world. He didn't want to corrupt Naruto's innocent mind.

"Your control of the wind is a little too advanced for a Genin," Asuma told Naruto. "Particularly because it was enough to force Zabuza away."

"I told you I didn't expect that to happen. I just wanted to get him away from me," Naruto shot back. "I lashed out on instinct."

'_Wind chakra is the hardest of all of the elemental affinities to control. It sounds absurd that Naruto would be able to use it with just simple instinct guiding him. Then again… Kakashi _did_ say that Naruto was the number one most surprising shinobi in all of Konoha,_' Asuma assessed. '_It doesn't look like Naruto's willing to tell us anything and I don't want to press him, especially when we're in front of the other Genin._'

'_How does the dobe of all people have power like this? Kakashi-sensei said people rarely find out their elemental affinities until they reach Chuunin level,_' Sasuke thought jealously. Sure he already knew his elemental affinities because they were same among all Uchiha but the fact that the no-clan, two-bit loser was steadily becoming equal to him in elemental control just didn't sit well with him.

~I know this mission was more trouble than it was worth,~ Minato muttered, noticing how much attention Naruto was beginning to get. The fact that he was hiding something was becoming increasingly clear and the only one who could take the blame for that was Minato himself. He'd felt as if he'd had no choice, however. If he hadn't got in the way, Zabuza would have killed Naruto for sure.

As it was, he wasn't about to tell Naruto to abandon this mission when he was so determined to help the oppressed inhabitants of Nami-no-Kuni. It went against both of their beliefs. They would help the country get out of Gatou's control no matter what the risk.

"Moving on, there's something bothering me about that hunter nin," Asuma said, finally addressing the other problem he'd found.

"What about him, sensei?" Ino queried, tilting her head to the side in confusion.

"Hunter-nins usually deal with the bodies of nuke-nins right on the site," Shikamaru inserted, surprising his teammate with his knowledge. "It's odd that this hunter-nin didn't."

"I figured you'd be the one to catch on," Asuma said, nodding his head in approval.

"What does that mean?" Tazuna asked, feeling a sense of foreboding.

"It means that Zabuza is still alive," Kakashi stated, surprising everyone.

~I thought so,~ Minato sighed. ~Things just got more complicated.~

~_Zabuza saw you, didn't he? That means that we'll have to be even more careful around him as to not expose ourselves,_~ Naruto said.

~Agreed… that means your training is going to have to intensify… so that my help won't be needed…~ Minato realized.

"You're finally awake," Sakura said, sounding relieved. "Are you alright?"

"I've handled worse," Kakashi admitted.

"What did you mean that Zabuza is still alive?" Ino asked. "Asuma-sense said that you checked him yourself and saw that he was dead."

"The hunter-nin used senbon and those don't have much ability when it comes to dealing fatal wounds. They can, however, leave someone in a state resembling death," Kakashi explained.

"Then Zabuza will come after us again?" Chouji asked, swallowing in fear. "How can we go against him if he left _you_ like this?"

"Don't worry," Kakashi said, eye crinkling as he smiled. "He won't be ready for battle until at least a week… around the same that it ought to take me to get back to full strength. You'll have Asuma-sensei to help out. Not only that, but we will be training you to make you stronger." Asuma nodded his agreement.

~Looks like Kakashi's finally taking his role as your teacher seriously,~ Minato said, nodding his approval. ~However, knowing him, he'll start you out on tree climbing.~

~_But I already know that exercise… and water-walking too,_~ Naruto pointed out.

~That's where I come in,~ a smug looking Minato stated. ~We're going to be upping your training, Naruto… and I'm thinking that it's time to start you on gravity seals and get you off those weights. Today was the second time you nearly drowned because of them. They take too much time to get off, gravity seals will be much easier to handle.~

~_Sounds like a plan,_~ Naruto agreed.

Kakashi stared at Naruto with a puzzled frown. Knowing the boy, he would have expected that the boy would be super excited that he still had a chance to go up against Zabuza.

'_You're a lot more different than what your file says about you, otouto_…' Kakashi realized.

"Training sounds like a lot of fun," Naruto said enthusiastically.

"That's not fun at all," a dull voice said from the entrance of the room and everyone looked to see a brooding boy, no older than 10, standing there. He wore a white shirt with green overalls over it and a fisherman's hat on his head.

"Who's this kid?" Chouji wondered, raising an eyebrow.

"Ohh! Inari, where were you?!" Tazuna asked loudly, standing up to greet the young boy.

"Welcome back, grandpa," Inari stated without much emotion as he made his way over to embrace his grandfather.

"Inari, say hello to everyone. These are the brave shinobi that saved your grandfather," Tazuna exclaimed, placing a hand on Inari's head affectionately.

Inari gave the group a sullen look before turning to Tsunami and pointing. "They're all going to die, Kaa-san," he said in a matter-of-fact voice.

"What did you say?!" Ino yelled, eyes sparking in anger.

~_Talk about being pessimistic,_~ Naruto grumbled, not impressed by the boy.

"There's no way you can win against Gatou," Inari said with conviction.

"Just watch us," Naruto shot back with equal conviction.

"Quit acting like such a hero," Inari snorted, eyeing Naruto with disdain. "There's no such thing as one."

"You're wrong," Naruto bit out. "Our village was saved by one of the greatest heroes of all time, the Yondaime Hokage. He went up against the Kyuubi-no-Kitsune and won!"

~**Great way to make me out to be the villain…**~ Kyuubi grumbled under her breath.

"Did he survive?" Inari asked Naruto, causing him to falter.

"Well, no…" he began, eyes dulling at the fact that even though his father was always with him, it wasn't quite the same as him being there in flesh and blood. He didn't like thinking about the incident that had lost him his father and made him the village pariah.

"Then your point is useless," Inari shot back. "There's no such thing as a hero, just fools who die trying to be one."

"Take that back!" Naruto cried out, anger bubbling beneath the surface. Ino and Sakura had to hold him back. '_How dare that stupid brat insult Tou-san_.'

"Calm down, Naruto," Kakashi said, placing a placating hand on the blonde's shoulder. He too felt the sting of Inari's words as he spoke against his former sensei, but he couldn't let a broken-hearted boy's angry cry get the better of him. "He's just a child."

"That doesn't give him any right to say that about To- the Yondaime," Naruto said, stammering over the title. He'd almost said Tou-san in his anger. Realizing his temper was threatening the safety of one of his most well-kept secrets, Naruto went limp and chose to ignore Inari instead.

'_Note to self… don't insult the Yondaime in front of Naruto. He gets nasty,_' was a common thought throughout all of the Genin's heads.

Inari snorted before he turned to leave. "If you don't want to die, then you better go away from here," he stated.

"Where are you going, Inari?" Tsunami queried.

"I'm going to look out at the ocean from my window," was the boy's simple response and he left a bunch of stunned shinobi and his troubled family members behind.

'_I'm still going to give him a piece of my mind,_' Naruto thought with determination before standing to follow the boy.

However, when he got to the boy's room to speak with him, he heard the sobbing.

~_He's crying?_~ Naruto thought with a small, puzzled frown. Sneaking a peek into the room, he saw Inari hunched over a picture frame.

~He may have spoken harshly, Naruto, but overall, he's just a child trying to overcome his grief. Don't think badly of him,~ Minato reasoned with his son.

"I guess so…" he whispered quietly as he moved away from the room.

"Who's he talking to?" Ino whispered to Sakura as she and the other Genin spied on the strange orange-clad boy.

"How should I know? He's always talking to himself…" Sakura murmured. Shikamaru logged that bit of information in the back of his mind for later investigation.

'_Who knew Uzumaki Naruto was such an enigma?_' he thought to himself.

* * *

"There's something weird about the blonde brat," Zabuza informed Haku as he lay in bed. "When I was about to kill him, something protected him… or rather… someone."

"But there was no one there," Haku said. "Other than you, the boy and the imprisoned Jounin."

"That's the odd thing. A second before I was forced away, I could have sworn I saw the Yondaime Hokage…" the swordsman stated.

"But that's impossible… the Yondaime Hokage died twelve years ago," Haku frowned.

"I know that, Haku," Zabuza scowled. "Nevertheless, I saw him. There's a connection between the boy and this apparition. It would explain how the blonde brat got his hand on one of the Yondaime's Hiraishin kunais."

"What do you wish for me to do, Zabuza-sama?" Haku inquired.

"Figure out what makes this boy tick. Learn his strengths and weaknesses and most of all, try to figure out how he's able to use the Yondaime Hokage like a weapon," Zabuza ordered.

"As you wish," his companion agreed.


	8. Training Begins

Merry Christmas!

I wanted to get a chapter up by this week, because I want to take as much advantage of the break as I can. It wasn't easy with all of the MCAT study I've been forced to do but I managed.

I was rather surprised by how many people enjoyed the MinaKyuu part of the last chapter. I'd been most worried about that part to tell you the truth. I hadn't known what kind of reception it would have gotten.

**Hittocerebattosai**: I didn't even know that I had the anonymous review thing blocked out… I think I'm going to stick with Zabuza merely being a rather powerful ally. Dealing with him and his plans with the Mizukage may be a little complicated.

**InARealPickle**: When I read your review, it made me laugh… got to agree with it too. What was he smoking? *snerk*

**MadaMag**: I'm sorry if I haven't been doing a good job of reflecting Asuma's skills. It's my first time dealing with him. I'll try to work with him better.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

---

Chapter Seven: Training Begins

"First thing you all need to do is work on your chakra control. In order to do that, you will be climbing trees," Kakashi stated.

~Do I know my student or what?~ Minato said, smug that he'd predicted the exercise correctly.

"But we already know how to climb trees, sensei," Sakura protested.

"Do you know how to do it without your hands?" Asuma queried and the Genin shook their heads.

"How do you do that?" Ino asked.

"Observe," Kakashi said as he climbed up a tree, crutches and all, until he hung upside down from a branch.

~Show off,~ Minato snorted with a shake of his head.

After explaining the concept behind the tree climbing exercise, Kakashi threw six kunai at the Genin. "Use these to mark your progress up the tree," he stated.

~This is going to be dull,~ Naruto groaned. He'd have to pretend not to know the exercise.

"You'll only be doing this until noon each day, however," Asuma said. "After that, we'll be working on your personal strengths and weaknesses."

"This is going to be a long week," Shikamaru complained, gingerly picking up the kunai from the ground.

"Just think of it this way, Shikamaru. The faster you master it, the more time you'll get to be lazy," Naruto said brightly.

Shikamaru blinked at ball of sunshine before smiling. '_You amuse me, Uzumaki Naruto…_' he thought.

They got started on the exercise with mixed results:

Sakura and Ino were able to walk up the tree with almost practiced ease, Shikamaru and Sasuke managed a few steps before slipping, Naruto was blasted off and Chouji just fell the moment he attempted to climb.

"As expected, Ino and Sakura managed well enough. Girls tend to have better chakra control as it is, to make up for the lesser amount of chakra they hold in their system in the beginning. Shikamaru and Sasuke, you've got the right idea but you haven't found the right amount of chakra to put into the exercise. Naruto, you're putting _way_ too much chakra into this and Chouji, you're putting too little," Asuma assessed them.

Naruto ignored Sasuke's smirk. The boy could act as smug as he wanted, it didn't change the fact that Naruto had already surpassed him without anyone knowing.

~_It's hard to fail at something when you already know how to do it,_~ he grumbled.

~Just be a little patient, once the two Jounin slip away you can replace yourself with a Kage Bunshin and I will get you started on seals and Taijutsu,~ Minato said.

~_Sounds good to me,_~ Naruto said, sounding pleased.

Minato knew it was a little early to get Naruto started on seals but it would greatly improve the boy's abilities in battle and that was something that would be very helpful in the future.

When Asuma and Kakashi left the Genin to their own devices, Naruto made his move, switching himself with a Kage Bunshin.

Minato led Naruto to a large clearing with a lake.

~Okay, first of all, make at least a hundred Kage Bunshin,~ the former Hokage instructed.

100 Kage Bunshins popped into existence and Minato began his lesson plan as he produced mass copies of scrolls on basic sealing.

~Twenty clones will focus on learning everything in those scrolls and I do mean _everything_. There's a lot of complicated material involved in sealing, so pay attention. You do even one thing wrong, and you can deal terrible damage not only to yourself but to your comrades as well,~ Minato barked out, no longer acting on the doting father, leaving a strict teacher in his place.

"Yes, sir!" the designated twenty complied, albeit a little reluctantly. Reading from scrolls was just so boring…

~Moving on, another twenty of you will work on chakra control. You will be doing, water walking while keeping leaves sticking to your foreheads… and you will be sparring against each other as well to test out how well you can keep it up,~ the Yellow Flash decided.

The chosen twenty slunk off, muttering "slave driver" under their breaths.

~Thirty of you will be working on mastering the Fuuton and Suiton jutsus on this scroll. They're all mostly C-rank jutsus. They're not terribly powerful but if used the right way, they can deal a good amount of damage," the older blonde ordered.

The thirty clones held no complaints. If there was one thing Naruto loved, it was learning new jutsu.

~Naruto, you and the remaining clones will be working on your Taijutsu. Your clones may not be able to help you develop physically but at least they can help you remember the katas properly,~ Minato said. ~It will help you get used to the new gravity seals too.~

"Why'd you have to make them so heavy?~ Naruto grumbled.

~You'll get used to it,~ Minato said simply. Naruto glowered at his sire before the training commenced.

'_Who's he talking to?_' both Inari and Haku thought from their respective hiding places.

'_Why does he try so hard?_' Inari wondered. He didn't understand why Naruto was working so hard to win a losing battle.

When it was noon, Naruto switched with his Kage Bunshin as the Genin returned to Tazuna's house for lunch and the second part of training was set to begin.

"You okay, Naruto?" Chouji asked, seeing how Naruto was rubbing his temples.

"I'm fine," he said. "I just have a bit of a headache."

He'd made the mistake of dispelling his clones all at once, knocking him out within an instant.

He woke up to Minato pouring water on him, exasperation clear on his face. The orange-clad boy then had to deal with his parent's reprimand.

"Did you exhaust your small brain trying to figure out how to do the tree-climbing exercise, dobe?" Sasuke taunted, earning a withering glare from the boy that sent chills down everybody's back.

'_He's got his father's death glare down pat,_' Kakashi thought in amusement. '_Once he actually grows into his body, that look may just make his enemies run in fear instead of fighting him._'

"At least I have a bigger vocabulary than just grunting," Naruto sneered before dismissing the Uchiha as he sat down at the kitchen table. He was starving after all of the training he'd stuffed into just a few hours.

"Don't say that to Sasuke-kun!" Ino and Sakura chorused angrily, only to get snubbed by the grouchy Jinchuuriki.

"What's up with him?" Ino whispered to Sakura as they all sat down to eat.

"He looks kind of tired," Sakura remarked.

"A stamina freak like Naruto tired already? That doesn't seem normal," Kakashi frowned. He'd figured it would take a lot more training before Naruto got tired.

"I'm not tired, just a little disoriented, that's all," Naruto defended himself as he ate as if he was ravenous.

Minato himself was staring at Inari, who was observing Naruto closely. He knew the boy had been watching them during training. He hadn't mentioned anything because he wanted to take the time

After lunch was over, Kakashi and Asuma gathered the Genin together, to explain what they'd be doing for the afternoon training sessions.

"Shikamaru, Chouji and Ino, during this time you will work on your family jutsus as well as improving on your physical abilities. As it is, only Chouji could act as a close combat warrior and it's time for all of you to become a little more well-rounded. This isn't going to happen overnight, but it would be a nice time to start," Asuma declared, knowing how important it was for his team to learn their family techniques while working on getting rid of their one major weakness.

"As it is, out of the three of you, only Sasuke has family techniques he can work on," Kakashi began, cursing the fact that he couldn't openly speak of Naruto's own heritage and help train him as the future Namikaze heir just yet. It would certainly have been a great help in this particular mission. The fact that Naruto was already becoming a miniature version of the Yondaime all on his own was really confusing Kakashi. The boy had no means of doing it by himself… but who could be teaching him? He denied the thought of the Yondaime possibly helping his son from beyond the grave. That was impossible… even if all the clues seemed to be pointing towards it.

He gazed at Asuma. He could tell that Asuma was putting the pieces together too. The only thing keeping him from being as suspicious as Kakashi was because he didn't know of the connection between Naruto and the Yondaime, and so Naruto's progress posed as a much bigger mystery in the bearded Jounin's eyes.

The most unfortunate aspect of not knowing just how much Naruto knew was finding an appropriate training regime for him. He didn't know what was useful.

"Sakura, you will be joining Asuma's team with the physical training while learning the Genjutsu techniques on this scroll I borrowed from Kurenai-sensei. Do your best to master them during the week. As for you, Naruto, I don't know many Fuuton jutsus myself but Asuma-sensei has agreed to help you out with that. Also, you've shown a penchant for making great strategies while in the middle of battle. I want to see that skill honed, so I'm going to teach you how to play Shougi. It might be helpful for you to learn how to swim. Yesterday's battle proved to be the second time that you were hindered by your inability to stay afloat," Kakashi pointed out.

Naruto flushed as the others snickered in the background.

"I know how to swim," he argued. "I just stumbled a bit last time…"

"A mistake that nearly cost you your life," Kakashi pointed out. "If you claim you can swim, you will show me and I will be the judge of your competency."

"Did no one teach you how to swim, dobe?" Sasuke taunted, enjoying seeing his annoying teammate humiliated in such a way.

"Well excuse me for not having an entire village kissing the very ground I walk on like a certain ungrateful bastard does," Naruto scowled. "I taught myself."

He wasn't going to admit to the weights being the source of his problems. That would just lead to more questions about how he was receiving his training and they were all suspicious enough as it was.

"Look, I don't need you fretting over my swimming abilities. Whatever trouble I'd had with it earlier has been resolved," Naruto said, pleading with his teacher to drop the subject.

"We'll see about that," Kakashi responded firmly. "As for right now, all of you should go and start doing what we've assigned to you."

Seeing that they were all being dismissed, the Genin dispersed to perform their own tasks.

Asuma, Kakashi and Shikamaru took this time to also try to sort out what made Naruto such an enigma.

'_His academy teachers spoke of how inept the boy was at most things, but the boy who became my student is hardly like that at all…_' Kakashi frowned, thinking back all the way to the beginning. '_He is a bit of a loudmouth, but not as much as I expected him to be. He's a lot more efficient with the skills he knows than what the teachers believed. He's been hiding his skills from us all… but why?_'

'_Naruto shouldn't be able to use elemental jutsus as effectively as he is just yet. His chakra capacity and control would hinder him… yet he wields the wind like a seasoned professional. There's something very weird about Uzumaki Naruto…_' Asuma thought.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru was thinking about the slip up Naruto had made when the boy had been arguing with Inari. '_He started with To – instead of just saying Yondaime… just what had he meant to say instead. Naruto keeps giving clues… but they're so scattered nothing can be made sense of them without coming up with absolutely absurd answers… Just what goes on in that mind of his?_'

As he thought of what Naruto could have been saying before he caught himself, he came across the possibility of 'Tou-san.' He quickly shook his head. There was no way that Naruto was the son of the legendary Yondaime Hokage… was he? Now that he thought about it… they did bear an awfully strong resemblance to one another…

Intrigued by the possibility, Shikamaru eyed Kakashi who was observing his students as they worked on the jutsu assigned to them. If anyone was to know about the Yondaime Hokage, it would be Kakashi.

"Can I speak with you, Kakashi-sensei?" Shikamaru asked, walking up to the masked shinobi. Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the lazy nin before shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. Seeing that as a go ahead, Shikamaru began to talk. "You were the Yondaime Hokage's student, weren't you?"

"That I was," Kakashi agreed, beginning to wonder what Shikamaru was getting at. He noted that the Genin had stopped working on their respective projects as Shikamaru's question seemed to peak their interest. Kakashi didn't view this as a good thing. There was, after all, a lot about the Yondaime Hokage that was meant to stay hidden from those who had no business knowing it.

"Did Yondaime-sama, at any time, have a child?" Shikamaru asked bluntly, thinking it too troublesome to beat around the bush.

~_Fuck…_~

~Fuck…~ Naruto and Minato cursed as one, earning an indignant slap on the head, courtesy of a displeased Kyuubi's tails.

Inwardly, Kakashi was more than a little shocked at the question the boy had asked him. His eyes imperceptibly fell on Naruto, who didn't seem quite as intrigued as he expected him to be… he was more… nervous? Kakashi found that rather odd. What did the boy feel nervous about? It wasn't like he knew Minato was his father… right?

Looking back at Shikamaru, Kakashi didn't let any of his inner emotions show. "No," he lied flat out. "He died long before he could start a family. Why do you ask?"

"I was just curious, that's all… thought it was a bit of a waste that a man as legendary as the Yondaime Hokage had no one to pass all of his knowledge to," Shikamaru shrugged, deflecting Kakashi away from the reason of his real interest.

'_I'm going to have to keep a close eye on that boy… he's more perceptive than I thought,_' Kakashi thought, watching Shikamaru walk away with narrowed eyes.

"Is there a reason you're eyeing my student like he's just become your greatest enemy, Kakashi?" Asuma queried suspiciously, wondering just what was going on. Team 7 seemed chalk full of secrets.

"I'm just wondering how smart that kid really is. We should be glad that he's on our side," Kakashi responded, looking as indifferent as ever.

"You can say that again," Asuma agreed.

Later that night, Minato and Naruto held a discussion as Naruto bathed. It was one of the few times during the mission that Naruto was guaranteed absolute privacy.

~I've been thinking, Naruto…~ Minato began as he sat at the edge of the bath tub, tracing little designs in the water with his finger.

~**Did it hurt?**~ Kyuubi teased, much to Minato's irritation and Naruto's amusement.

~Oh shut up,~ Minato scowled, dunking Naruto forcibly in the water when he saw the boy was enjoying the banter a little too much for his own good.

"Hey!" Naruto protested as he emerged from the water, sputtering. He glared at Minato, who looked completely unrepentant. Glowering, Naruto sank back into the water. "You were saying…?" he pressed.

~We should bring Kakashi into the fold,~ Minato said, matter-of-factly.

"What brought this on?" Naruto asked curiously. "You were the one who said that no one was to know about you."

~I know but keeping this secret is proving quite difficult with so many perceptive shinobi breathing down your neck in circumstances where hiding your abilities proves difficult. With Kakashi on our side, we could divert a lot of attention away from us and he can use the Sharingan to erase memories if the situation becomes serious enough,~ Minato pointed out. ~Aside from that, as your sensei, he's going to need to know what you know so he can help you get past that. There's only so much I can teach you that can be explained away as something you read from a book. He can back you up.~

"You've got a point," Naruto agreed. "But how are we going to tell him?"

~I'll think of something,~ Minato mused, crossing his arms.

They remained silent for a moment before identical looks of mischief appeared on their faces.

~Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Naruto?~ Minato asked his son, looking like the devil himself.

"Yup," was Naruto's smug reply as the two blondes began to plot their mischief.

---

A/N: I hope you like the chapter. It was shorter than most chapters again but I felt like it was a good place to stop.

Tell me if there's any loose ends I've forgotten or if there is anything you think I should have during the Wave Arc. There's a lot of different factors playing in the story right now and I may miss a couple of things here or there…


	9. The Namikaze's Plan

It took me a lot longer than I'd expected to get this chapter up and done with. I had a lot of trouble trying to decide what to do with the Haku/Naruto interaction. It was harder to do then it had seemed in my mind. So if it's a little sloppy, my apologies.

**HikariNoTenshi-San**: your guess wasn't correct but freaking Kakashi out was the general idea. Nevertheless, I think your idea was pretty cool (and incredibly funny). I like that nickname for Minato… Blondaime. It works for him *snicker*

: I'm glad you like it. Hope I can meet your expectations.

**Hitsugayatoushirou1220**: I had really hoped I could have updated a little more frequently too… sorry.

**BratCat**: You've got pretty good instincts about what's going to happen. Glad you like the fic.

**Alda MN**: It's only going to be up to the Chuunin exams. I always figured that would be the best place for him to show off. Much more fun too.

**Dhh**: I'm doing the best I can with balancing out the cannon and the AU aspects. I'm measuring it out the way I feel it ought to be. I tried to rush through this in the original version (greatly altered now) and I didn't like how it turned out so I'm doing this with a bit more care.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

----

Chapter Eight: The Namikaze's Plan

Everyone was sitting at breakfast, ready to start their day when Naruto noticed Tazuna eyeing him curiously.

"Is something wrong, Tazuna-san?" the whiskered Genin inquired, cocking his head to the side.

"It's nothing big, really…" Tazuna responded, looking a little absent-minded. "I was most likely just hallucinating…"

"Hallucinating about what?" Asuma asked, wondering if whatever was bugging the bridge builder had anything to do with the secret Naruto was keeping.

"I thought I saw an older looking Naruto walking around last night," the old man said, earning blank looks from everyone, save for Kakashi and Naruto.

"An older looking Naruto?" Sasuke deadpanned. '_This old drunkard has gone senile._'

"How much older?" Kakashi asked, feeling something drop into the pit of his stomach as the seeds of suspicion took root in his mind. He ignored the puzzled look he received from Asuma for encouraging the drunkard's tale.

"About as old as you," Tazuna said. "Give or take a few years."

"Is there anything else you noticed about him?" the Copy Nin pressed.

"He didn't have Naruto's whiskers," Tazuna commented. "And he was wearing a similar outfit as you and Asuma-san… except for a strange white cloak… but I was drunk so I'm not quite sure."

"Oh…" Kakashi stated, frowning. So it was all just a hallucination after all…. He couldn't put any merit in those words because Tazuna had been intoxicated. Nevertheless, his recollection was an alarmingly accurate description of the Yondaime Hokage. '_He's dead, Kakshi. Let him go,_' he scolded himself.

~So it begins,~ Minato said, having used Tazuna as a tool in starting the mischief he had in store for his former student.

~**I almost feel bad for the man**,~ Kyuubi mused, knowing that both Minato and Naruto had mischievous streaks comparable to a kitsune's.

At a later time when the male Genin had gone to practice tree climbing and the females had accompanied Asuma and Tazuna to the bridge, Kakashi was trying to get his body back in working conditions by doing push ups.

"You shouldn't strain you body so much, Kakashi," a deep voice rang out from behind the Jounin. "Your body hasn't recovered from chakra exhaustion yet."

So caught up in his training, Kakashi didn't consciously realize whose voice it was.

"I'm fine," he grunted as he pushed himself off the ground despite his arms protesting the movement.

"That's just like you, Kakashi. Whenever something's bothering you, you bury yourself in work and training or wallow in pity in front of the Memory Stone. It's not healthy," the voice reprimanded him.

"Why do you care so much?" Kakashi snapped.

"You know why," was the enigmatic response.

"That's the thing… I don't know why, so why don't you humor me, sens –" Kakashi began, whirling around to confront his companion. "…ei…" he finished, noticing that there was no one there. He'd been talking to thin air.

Disconcerted, Kakashi stopped his push ups.

'_Great. Now you're imagining him into existence_,' he cursed himself. He could have sworn someone had been there. He'd even felt the chakra signature… '_Tazuna's story really screwed me up._'

Nearby, Naruto slipped out of Tazuna's house to return to the clearing where he and his father were training.

~**Something tells me you're using this prank as something more than getting Kakashi into our fold**,~ Kyuubi assessed.

~Might as well do it this way, right?~ Minato shrugged. As much as he wanted to help Naruto grow as strong as he was, he wanted to help teach Kakashi how to live again.

~_Just don't go overboard, Tou-san. We don't need him going crazy,_~ Naruto commented.

~Have a little faith in me, Naruto. I know what I'm doing,~ the former Hokage reassured his son.

~_I know…_~ Naruto remarked. ~_Good idea, by the way, for placing a Genjutsu that made Kakashi a little less alert so that he wouldn't turn around too quickly and ruin everything._~

~Thanks, I didn't think I'd be able to pull it off as well if I didn't dull his senses,~ Minato admitted.

* * *

Another day passed and the shinobi had learned different things about Nami no Kuni and their host family.

They learned the country was truly suffering under Gatou's rule, solidifying their resolve to defeat Gatou and help the bridge come to fruition.

Not only that, but they learned of Kaiza and how his death had affected everyone. From this, Naruto began to understand Inari, lessening his irritation with the melancholy child. He had then proceeded to head back to his training spot, even more determined to save the country and prove to Inari that heroes really existed. Minato couldn't be prouder of the boy.

Without Naruto around to observe, Shikamaru had opted to be his normal lazy self and he was trying to get some sleep… except he couldn't thanks to Sakura and Ino's loud arguing as they fought over a stoic Sasuke. So he decided to just watch everybody until the two girls finally stopped.

'_Kakashi-sensei doesn't look so good,_' Shikamaru thought. He recalled seeing the man pale as he'd come to see how they were all doing with the tree climbing. Kakashi had been staring at the top of the tree right next to Naruto, as if something truly shocking was there, but when Shikamaru looked over, he could see nothing but thin air.

Later, when Naruto and Kakashi were playing shougi, Naruto had actually won but Kakashi had looked more shocked than he should have. It was surprising that Naruto had beat the Jounin, but Shikamaru didn't believe it should have earned _that_ strong of a reaction, particularly from an emotionally stunted Jounin like Kakashi.

Something was going on with Kakashi and Shikamaru had a strong belief it had something to do with Naruto, but what?

As Kakashi got ready for bed, he thought back t the two odd occurrences he'd dealt with that day:

/_Kakashi headed to the clearing where the Genin were working on the tree-climbing exercise. He noted that Shikamaru was making the most success of the four Genin with Chouji coming a quick second thanks to Shikamaru's help._

_ It looked like Naruto's small bit of advice had been enough to make the lazy Genin work to finish the exercise as quickly as he could so he could be done with the troublesome thing. Of course, he wasn't going to leave his best friend behind._

_ Sasuke was making good progress too, growing determined to finish the exercise as he saw two Genin he viewed to be __**beneath**__ him succeed where he was failing. It looked like Kakashi didn't need to think much of the rivalry between Naruto and Sasuke to motivate the brooding Uchiha… at least not for this particular mission._

_ Speaking of Naruto, Kakashi wondered how the boy was doing. He was proving to be a quick learner when it came to everything else he was learning but he also knew that chakra control happened to be Naruto's biggest problem._

_ But when he looked for Naruto, he didn't see him. Instead, he saw someone that nearly gave him a heart attack._

_ Perched on the very top of Naruto's tree was Namikaze Minato himself, gazing up into the sky with a pensive look on his face, something that brought up a lot of nostalgic emotions within the Cyclopean Jounin. _

_ But when he blinked, Minato was gone and Naruto was working on his tree climbing, just a little less successful than Sasuke._/

Not only that, but when he had been playing shougi with Naruto, he'd had another weird experience…

/_Kakashi was waiting for Naruto to make a move while puzzling over the strange occurrences he'd faced in the last couple of days. He honestly was beginning to feel as if he was going out of his mind…_

_ "I win," a very familiar voice spoke as a hand much too big to be Naruto's moved a piece to where he wanted it to be. Looking at the board, Kakashi saw that he had indeed lost the game before tracing the hand back to the owner and faltering when he saw Minato sitting there, looking very smug. Drawing back with a gasp, Kakashi rubbed his eye to make sure he wasn't imagining anything but when he looked back, Naruto was sitting there, looking confused and worried, maybe even a little hurt._

_ "Is it really that surprising that I won, Kakashi-sensei?" he asked, pouting. _

_ Now on Minato, that pout was dangerous enough. On Naruto… it was downright lethal._

_ Kakashi was quick to relent. "It's not that, Naru-chan. I guess I'm really tired or something because my mind's been playing tricks around you. Congratulations on winning, but I think I'm going to go rest for now. Continue working on your Fuuton jutsus for now."_

_ With that, Kakashi left, missing the sulky scowl that made its way on Naruto's face while he ignored the sound of his father's hysteric laughter at Naruto's expense._

_ "He called me Naru-chan…" Naruto grumbled. '_As if it wasn't bad enough that Tou-san calls me that…_'_/

'_The first time is happenstance, the second time is coincidence, and the third…_' Kakashi thought, eyes narrowing. '..._Is conspiracy. I definitely need to talk to Naruto. He's definitely up to something…_'

* * *

The next morning, Haku was heading to gather medicinal herbs for Zabuza when he came across the most interesting sight…

The blonde boy that Zabuza had wanted him to spy on was lying in the middle of a clearing completely asleep, surrounded by many red foxes that lay around him protectively, as if he was one of their own.

The boy was all scratched up, indicating just how hard he had been working. It was something Haku had noticed before. He couldn't help but admire the boy's drive.

He moved closer to the boy intending to rouse the boy from his slumber when the Jinchuuriki's blue eyes opened of their own accord.

He stared sleepily at the feminine man in front of him before smiling. This surprised Haku. The boy was a shinobi… so why was he being so friendly to a stranger who could have been aiming to harm him?

"You know this is the first time that you've actually come out and showed yourself to me," Naruto stated bluntly, shocking Haku.

"You knew I was watching you?" the ice user inquired, knowing that there was no point in denying it. The boy looked very certain of his accusation.

"You're very good at hiding yourself," Naruto complimented. "But not good enough."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Haku frowned. Surely the boy wouldn't let someone spy on him, particularly when he was training.

"As my friend Shikamaru would say, it was too troublesome," Naruto responded with a wry smile. "I figured I'd confront you at the right time and this time seems perfect, so here we are."

Haku blinked. This boy was very interesting… he couldn't even begin to understand him and he'd been trying for the last couple of days.

"You are… very odd," he admitted. Naruto chuckled.

"Don't I know it," he said, sounding almost wistful. "You're Zabuza's ally, aren't you?"

Haku stiffened in surprise. He had been hoping that Naruto would have thought that he was just a random villager, but it didn't seem like that would fly with the enigmatic Genin. "And if I am?" he declared.

"Relax… I don't want to fight you," Naruto said as he saw Haku enter a defensive pose. "I just want to talk, if that's alright."

Wondering what was going on in Naruto's head, Haku obliged him as he relaxed his body, but not completely. "You would willingly sit down and have a conversation with an enemy?" he queried, observing Naruto as he played with the foxes that had provided him with warmth and company.

"We don't have to be enemies, you know," Naruto pointed out.

"But we do," Haku responded. "You work to protect the bridge builder and we intend to kill him."

"But why are you? For money?" Naruto argued, scoffing. "Do you honestly think that Gatou will give you whatever he promised you? Just look at what he's done to this country. He'll do the same to you."

"It's Zabuza's will to go on with this mission. I will follow him wherever he goes," Haku declared loyally. Naruto stared at his current companion for a moment before realization dawned on him.

"Zabuza is your precious person, isn't he?" he queried, surprising Haku once more. The look on Haku's face was enough for Naruto to understand. "So that's why you follow him… but why? He's so cruel…"

"He gave me a purpose," Haku stated. Naruto raised an eyebrow in interest.

"Oh?" he urged the other to elaborate and Haku then continued to tell him of his bloodline and how it had led to the destruction of his once happy family.

'_He and I have a lot in common…_' Naruto thought, feeling sympathy for the boy. He could understand the relationship between his surprisingly kind enemy and the brutal Demon of the Mist. "It may not look like it, Haku… but I can understand where you came from. I haven't had the happiest childhood either. In fact, the majority of my village sees me as a demon and not a child and that's for something beyond my control. If it hadn't been for my precious people, I most likely would have become the monster they thought I was."

Finding a kindred spirit in Naruto, Haku found it hard to find the strength to be able to face him in battle, something he knew would be inevitable if Zabuza was to have his way.

"Talk to Zabuza," Naruto urged Haku. "Convince him to drop the mission. There isn't anything you two can benefit from this."

"He won't agree," Haku argued. "It will take a lot for him to see reason."

"Then we'll just need to give him a little incentive," Naruto said.

"By doing what?" Haku frowned. He jolted as he felt a shock of foreign chakra run through him.

"We'll show him that it's not worth fighting against us for a lost cause," a deep voice rang out from behind Haku. The Hyouton user whirled around to see Minato standing behind her, decidedly transparent.

"H-how, w-what?" Haku stuttered, not looking quite as dignified as he once did due to his shock.

"Haku-san… meet my dad, Namikaze Minato," Naruto introduced the boy with a grin, enjoying the absolute disbelief that ran across Haku's features.

"You're the son of the Yondaime Hokage?" Haku gaped. '_This explains what Zabuza saw during the last battle. The Yondaime was only trying to protect his son._'

"That I am," Naruto admitted. "Just don't tell anyone, we're trying to keep it a secret. Tou-san's got way too many enemies and I can't afford all that attention just yet."

"You trusted me with something like this, why?" Haku frowned. Naruto was such a confusing person.

"Let's just say my gut's telling me that you're someone I can count on," Naruto commented. "Tell Zabuza this… you can work with us, get rid of the annoyance Gatou and move on, or fight us when there is nothing he can gain from it but death."

Haku didn't like the sound of the threat against Zabuza's life but he knew they were being realistic. If he and Zabuza were to oppose the Konoha shinobi, they would surely lose, especially now that it was confirmed that they had the legendary Hokage at their disposal.

"I'll pass that along," he finally spoke. "If he agrees, I will pass a message onto you. If not… we'll meet on the battlefield, Naruto-kun."

As he moved to leave, Naruto protested. "It's not fair, you know. You know my name but you never told me yours."

Haku chuckled before turning his head towards Naruto. "It's Haku, and for what it's worth, it was very nice to meet you," he said before walking away.

~You handled that well,~ Minato complimented his son as he returned to the seal.

~_Thanks,_~ Naruto beamed, snapping out of it as he heard footsteps approaching him.

Shikamaru stood there, eyes gleaming in amusement as he saw Naruto surrounded by all the foxes who had been vying for his attentions.

"Kakashi-sensei wasn't joking about you and the foxes, was he?" the shadow nin mused. Naruto gave a sheepish smile.

"Nope," he replied. Shikamaru beckoned the other boy to get up.

"Come on, it's time for breakfast. Everybody has been wondering where you were," the brunette declared and Naruto followed without argument.

---

If you haven't figured it out by now, the chakra spark someone feels means that they will be able to see Minato. If you have any questions about how the entire thing with Minato and his sort-of-free-reign goes, feel free to ask.


	10. Taking Root

I had honestly meant to get this chapter a lot earlier but then stupid school had to escalate before I could type it up… stupid MCAT classes didn't help much either. Nevertheless, I've made good headway in the story, which definitely brightened things up.

**Green7butterfly**: … oops. I _knew_ I was missing something… *curses*

**HikariNoTenshi-san**: I rather liked your idea about the baby fox (too cute…), so the incorporation of said baby fox is dedicated to you. Hope you like it.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

---

Chapter Nine: Taking Root

Everyone stared as Shikamaru and Naruto entered the house, simply for the fact that Naruto had found himself a new friend in the form of a small gold-furred fox kit. He held her in his hands, laughing as the kit licked his face affectionately.

"I think I'll keep you," Naruto said fondly, stroking the fox's fur. The kit purred and nestled into Naruto's arms.

"He's so cute, Naruto, where did you find him?" Ino asked as she approached him to admire the young animal.

"_She_," Naruto corrected the girl.

"He didn't' need to find her," Shikamaru answered Ino's question. "The foxes found him. That one just ended up following him all the way back here."

"It seems like she thinks you're her mother, Naru-chan," Kakashi teased the boy.

Naruto flushed and glared at his teacher as everyone else began to snicker. '_Just for that, I'm going to prank you harder, Sensei…_'

"If Naruto's the mother, then who is the father?" Sakura questioned, more than a little amused with the situation at hand.

Much to Shikamaru's misfortune, the fox kit decided she wanted to shower some attention on him and jumped into his arms, serving to be a rather odd coincidence.

"Looks like you got your answer, Billboard Brow," Ino said with a wicked gleam as she wiggled her eyes suggestively at her annoyed teammate. "Shikamaru's a Daddy."

"Tch, troublesome," Shikamaru snorted, his cheeks turning a faint red while he glowered at the affectionate fox kit. "You're troublesome too."

Naruto snatched his kit back and held her protectively. "Don't be mean to Sakuya-chan!" he reprimanded. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

"Sakuya-chan?" he repeated. Naruto nodded his head.

"I decided to name her Sakuya, a pretty name for a pretty fox," he said affectionately, nuzzling his new familiar.

'_He's so much more relaxed like this,_' Asuma thought to himself as he observed Naruto. Naruto still acted like the idiot everyone thought he was generally, but there was always that slight tension around him like he was trying to hide something. He couldn't see that right now.

~_What's with all the mother jokes anyways?_~ Naruto huffed as he sat down for breakfast with Sakuya in his lap. However, when Tsunami brought a small bowl of milk for the baby fox, she leapt down to enjoy her meal alongside everyone else.

~**Because of me, kit,**~ Kyuubi said. ~**Kakashi plays off the fact that foxes are attracted to you because with you being my Jinchuuriki, you're as good as a fox.** **And as it is… your Sakuya-chan has really decided that you're her mother.**~

Naruto spat the milk he'd been drinking all over Sasuke's face as he spluttered in indignation over Kyuubi's declaration and Minato's howls of laughter.

~_That's not funny, Kyuu_!~ he whined, ignoring Sasuke's exclamation of anger and his fangirls' fretting.

~**It's the truth, Naruto,**~ Kyuubi said. ~**You may be male in human terms, but in the minds of the foxes, you're a vixen.**~

~_Great…_~ Naruto thought balefully. That was a rather humiliating thought. ~_Why did Sakuya-chan jump on Shikamaru like that?_~

~**I think that considering he was the first male Sakuya saw you with, she automatically deduced that he was…**~ Kyuubi faltered, realizing what she was about to say would most likely make Naruto blow things out of proportion and that was the last thing they needed.

~_He was what, Kyuu?_~ Naruto pressed, curious.

~**It's nothing,**~ Kyuubi denied, only to be faced with a pouting Naruto.

~_What?_~ Naruto kept pressing. Kyuubi was about as wrapped around Naruto's finger as Minato was so it didn't take long for her to give in.

~**Sakuya thinks the shadow nin is your mate,**~ Kyuubi finally admitted, wincing at the sudden silence as Minato stopped laughing.

~His WHAT?!!!~

~_My WHAT?!!!_~ Father and son chorused together in disbelief.

~**I'm not going to say it again,**~ Kyuubi said, knowing that she'd made a mistake even bringing it up amongst her two favorite blonde idiots.

~_I'm never going to be able to look at Shikamaru the same way again,_~ Naruto moaned, more than a little embarrassed.

~Naruto's too young to have a mate,~ Minato glowered.

~**Tell that to Sakuya,**~ Kyuubi retorted.

Shikamaru suddenly perked up as he was eating breakfast and looked around.

"What's wrong, Shikamaru?" Asuma asked his student, noting his odd behavior.

"It's nothing… I just thought someone was giving me the evil eye, that's all," Shikamaru shrugged, not knowing that Minato was currently glaring at him as if he wanted to Rasengan his ass all the way back to Konoha.

~**Think of it this way, Minato,**~ Kyuubi began, trying to cool the overprotective ex-Hokage's temper. ~**At least she didn't think Naruto's mate was the Uchiha.**~

Minato calmed down instantly. ~When you put it like that… ~

Naruto groaned as he continued to eat. His parents were so weird...

* * *

It was dinner time on their sixth day and everyone was discussing different things: Kakashi, Asuma and Tazuna were discussing the bridge, Chouji and Tsunami were discussing food, Sakura and Ino were arguing over Sasuke, who was ignoring them and Naruto was chatting away with Shikamaru about training. Inari merely sulked.

"I've finally finished with tree climbing! It's a good thing too! I was getting tired of it!" Naruto exclaimed.

"It took you long enough to get it, dobe. It's not that big of an achievement," Sasuke snorted.

"This coming from the teme who was having trouble with it too," Naruto shot back with a huff. "So much for the supposed Uchiha property."

Sasuke's onyx eyes flashed with anger. "Watch your mouth, usoratonkachi," he warned.

"Why should I?" Naruto snapped, the wind outside the house beginning to stir. "Sorry but I'm not like those kiss up villagers who worship the ground you walk on. I'll say what I feel like!"

The two temperamental teammates got up into one another's face, glaring and snarling.

"Maa, maa… settle down you two," Kakashi tried to get the two Genin to stop trying to get at each other's throat.

They didn't listen.

"Back off, Naruto-baka!" Sakura yelled, pushing Naruto roughly, causing him to lose his balance and fall… right into Sasuke's lips.

The room fell silent as the two victimized stood frozen, lips still locked.

~I'LL KILL HIM!!!~ a homicidal Minato roared, out for Sasuke's blood, only to be held back by Kyuubi's tails.

She was both exasperated yet attracted by the Yondaime's rage.

'_He'll make a good mate,_' she purred to herself.

Sighing, Kakashi stood up and pulled Naruto away from Sasuke, allowing the traumatized blonde to bury his face into his chest to hide the tears of disgust that threatened to leek out.

Kakashi patted Naruto's back comfortingly before fixing Sasuke with a stern look. '_Obito's cousin or not, you have no right to touch _my_ otouto,_' he thought to himself before speaking. "We all know that Naruto has a hard time controlling his temper, Sasuke-kun… but I didn't expect that of you," he scolded the Uchiha.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, sitting back in his seat as Kakashi led Naruto to his seat.

Sakura and Ino were glaring at Naruto with feral rage clear on their faces.

Ino took out her anger by hitting Shikamaru upside the head.

"What did I do?" the lazy genius complained, rubbing his head gingerly.

"You didn't control your wife!" Ino reprimanded him. Shikamaru snorted. Ever since the Sakuya incident, Sakura and Ino hadn't relented in teasing him and Naruto about being "meant for one another."

"Tch… Naruto isn't my wife," he declared before ignoring his teammate and going back to his meal.

The dinner continued on in relative silence until Naruto noticed Inari staring at him with an odd look.

"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Why do you guys bother to try so hard? No matter how hard you train, you're still no match for Gatou's men!" Inari exclaimed, tears streaming down his eyes. "No matter what glorious claims you make or how hard you work, when facing the strong, the weak will always end up getting killed!"

Everyone stared at Inari, surprised the vehemence of his words. They hadn't expected a disruption like this. Naruto snorted in disinterest.

"Whatever you say, kid. I'm not like you," he said simply.

"I'd hate to be like you! You don't know anything about this country and yet you're being so nosy!" Inari screamed out spitefully. "What the hell do you know about me? I'm different from you! You're always clowning around and acting cheerful! You don't know how hard life can be!"

Those were the wrong words to say and it was quite evident to everybody the moment a massive amount of killing intent began to pour off the oddly silent Naruto. His normally expressive eyes were hidden from view.

'_This isn't good,_' Kakashi thought to himself, preparing himself for whatever may come.

~**That's it… that boy's dead!**~ this time it was Kyuubi who lost her cool as her potent chakra began to run through her kit's chakra coils. Minato's eyes widened in apprehension before he moved to try to subdue his angry paramour.

"So it's okay for you to act like the star of some tragedy and cry all the time?" Naruto growled, his voice nothing more than a gravelly hiss.

Naruto raised his head, revealing a pair of slitted red eyes, causing Inari to shrink back in fear.

"Just keep on crying, you little wuss!" Naruto roared in anger as he tried to lunge for the shocked ten-year-old.

Minato stopped pinning Kyuubi, materializing to grab Naruto before he could harm Tazuna's grandson. In doing so, he slammed his feet onto the table, spilling food and drink everywhere.

Kakashi felt a shock of chakra go through him and when he looked again, he paled as he saw the transparent form of his sensei pinning an enraged Naruto to his body, brilliant blue eyes narrowed in concentration. They turned on him for a moment, nodding in acknowledgement before both he and Naruto vanished in a flash of golden light.

"That was so rude of Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed indignantly. "Yelling at poor Inari and then storming off like that!"

'_Storming off?_' Kakashi frowned, wondering what Sakura meant. Concentrating, he found residual traces of chakra and realized something. '_Genjutsu…_'

"Naruto's not at fault," Shikamaru said calmly as he picked up the whimpering Sakuya who hadn't appreciated being left behind. "Inari went too far… without trying to understand Naruto, he hit him where it hurt the most. It's only natural that Naruto would react like that."

Inari gritted his teeth once the shock and fear of Naruto's anger had faded away before running out of the room, overcome with emotion.

Kakashi watched him leave and moved to follow him before turning to look at Shikamaru one last time. '_You may be try to keep a mask, Naruto… but I have a feeling Shikamaru's going to break through it sooner or later,_' he thought.

He thought back to the sight of Minato but decided he would confront Naruto about that later. Naruto was in no mood to speak to anyone.

* * *

Minato set Naruto down as they arrived in the room Naruto, Sasuke, Shikamaru and Chouji all shared, where the Hiraishin kunai currently resided.

The Yondaime frowned at the sulking boy before kneeling down so that they were eye to eye.

"Are you alright?" he asked, running a concerned hand through his son's blonde hair.

~_Yeah,_~ Naruto finally spoke. ~_But what he said…_~

~Pissed you off, I know, it pissed Kyuu-chan off too,~ Minato said, rubbing Naruto's back comfortingly. ~Inari-chan didn't know any better though. he doesn't know about your life.~

~_I know, but it hurt,_~ Naruto admitted. ~_If it hadn't been for you and Kyuu-chan, I'm certain my life would have been a whole lot worse._~

~**It's because of us that your life has been as harsh as it is,**~ Kyuubi remarked sadly. ~**You didn't get to be the happy child you deserve to be.**~

~_It's not your fault,_~ Naruto sniffed. ~_It's because of that bastard who controlled you._~

~That's true,~ Minato mused, recalling the true culprit behind the Kyuubi attack. ~We'll have to find a way to deal with him.~

~**That's not the problem right now,**~ Kyuubi reminded the two blondes.

~_That's right… we still haven't got a response from Haku or Zabuza yet_,~ Naruto commented.

Almost on cue, a kunai shot through the window with a letter tied to the hilt.

Removing the letter, Naruto opened it and grinned.

_We're with you._

The letter then proceeded to inform Naruto of their plan to help them lead Gatou to his undoing.

He heard a yip and looked to see Sakuya entering the room. Naruto grinned as he got an idea as he quickly scribbled a note to Haku and Zabuza.

"Sakuya-chan, I've got a little favor to ask of you.." Naruto told his familiar, holding out the letter. The fox sniffed the kunai to get Haku's scent and then looked up as Naruto spoke again. "Can you give this letter to my friend?"

Sakuya yipped in acquiescence before scurrying off with the letter.

~With the proper training, Sakuya will be a fine nin-fox,~ Minato stated with approval.

~_That she will,_~ Naruto agreed.

So for the rest of the night, Naruto and Haku kept in correspondence, ironing out their plan to rid Nami no Kuni of Gatou and his band of goons.

* * *

Meanwhile, Kakashi returned from speaking to Inari to see that Shikamaru and Asuma were playing Shougi, Sakura and Ino were gossiping, Chouji was munching and Sasuke was brooding.

Kakashi wasn't sure he liked the look on the avenger's face…

Shaking his head, he thought back to the dinner scene. He was certain he'd seen his sensei. He may not have had a physical body but the legendary Yellow Flash had been there. Never mind the fact that no one else could see him.

… That sounded completely crazy, even to him, but he couldn't keep denying what he'd seen.

He scanned the room before his eyes fell across the new addition… the Yondaime Hokage.

Minato nodded in acknowledgement before backing away, signaling for Kakashi to follow.

He did.

They walked all the way to the roof of Tazuna's home before the blonde Hokage finally stopped and faced the Copy Nin.

"I'd say it's been a long time, Kakashi, but technically speaking, I've been here the entire time," Minato remarked.

"How are you here?" Kakashi queried. "Are you a ghost?"

"Not quite," Minato said. "I'm not dead… but I'm not alive, either."

"What does that mean?" Kakashi frowned in confusion.

"I'm sealed within Naruto alongside the Kyuubi," the Namikaze informed his student. "The Shinigami believed I still have a purpose to fulfill here on Earth versus being trapped in his stomach."

"Sealed inside Naruto?" Kakashi repeated before thinking about it. It all made sense. Naruto's strange wind and the strange bell test incident all pointed to it. "You've been protecting him," he realized. The Yondaime crossed his arms.

"Of course I have. I'm his father, I'm not going to sit around when he's in danger," he said matter-of-factly.

"You've been training him too. It would explain how he's been learning everything that I and the Academy teachers haven't taught him," Kakashi mused. "It would have been nice to know beforehand."

"What was he supposed to say? 'I'm being trained by the deceased Yondaime Hokage?'" Minato snorted. "We realized that we'd need to inform you of our situation if Naruto was to get any useful training from you and not something I've already taught him, such as tree climbing."

"Have we been wasting his time?" Kakashi wondered in horror.

"I wouldn't have allowed for that," Minato said. "I trained him in sealing, the family Taijutsu, Fuuton and Suiton jutsu and getting him used to Kyuubi's chakra."

"Kyuubi's chakra?!" Kakashi exclaimed in shock. "Isn't that dangerous? It could corrupt him!" Minato fixed Kakashi with a reprimanding glare.

"Not if done carefully," he said. "I think it's time I started to explain things to you… starting with the truth behind the Kyuubi attack…"

The Yellow Flash began to fill Kakashi in on everything and as he did so, Kakashi's eyes widened in disbelief.

In the end, they were left in silence before the masked Jounin finally spoke.

"So let me get this straight… Kyuubi is a girl and not evil. She attacked under the control of Uchiha Madara, who isn't dead like we all believed him to be. Not only that, she has accepted you as her mate and Naruto as her son…" Kakashi began, smirking a little at Minato's blush at being called Kyuubi's mate. "Lastly, Naruto succeeded in making Zabuza and his ally defect against Gatou and now we're planning to draw Gatou out by a ruse of a fight?"

"Pretty much," Minato stated with a sheepish grin at the exasperated look on Kakashi's face.

"You've dumped a lot on me at the last minute, sensei," the silver haired Jounin said. "You hate me, don't you?"

"The exact opposite, really," the blonde man shot back with a bright smile.

Kakashi flashed a sly look at his sensei. "Why Minato-sensei, I didn't know you felt that way about me," he teased.

Minato flushed indignantly. "That's not what I meant and you know it," he spluttered before giving Kakashi an evil look. "Besides… I could always tell Iruka-sensei about some of your more embarrassing moments while on my team."

"You wouldn't," Kakashi stated, eye wide in horror at the thought of being humiliated in front of his love interest. "It's not like you could, anyway."

"I'd find a way," Minato said stubbornly. "Who do you think pranked you the day of Team assignments?"

"That was you?" Kakashi gaped. The Yellow Flash smirked.

"Damn straight. Who else do you think could pull a fast one on you so effectively?" the ex-Hokage declared with a smug smile.

"I'll get you for this, one way or another," Kakashi promised his companion, wanting retribution.

"I'd like to see you try," Minato challenged arrogantly.

'_Oh don't worry, sensei, I will_,' Kakashi thought sadistically.

* * *

Sasuke was thinking about only one thing… or rather, one person.

Naruto.

As annoying as his teammate was, Sasuke knew that Naruto was the greatest mystery he'd come across in his life outside of the reasons behind Itachi murdering their clan.

It was eating away at him just as much as the fact that Naruto defied him so much when Sasuke was so clearly superior to him.

Sasuke wanted to rip the blonde off his high horse and teach him what his rightful place was: beneath him.

That thought made him think of their impromptu kiss, producing an interesting perverted image in the avenger's eyes of Naruto lying beneath him, vivid blue eyes filled with a mixture of fear, pain, and unwanted pleasure as Sasuke used the blonde's way the way he believed it was meant to be used.

A dark smirk appeared on Sasuke's face as an idea began to form in his head about how he would deal with the defiant Jinchuuriki.

He would own him and break him, taking Naruto's secrets and whatever abilities for his own. It was the perfect way to handle feisty blonde.

Feeling eyes on him, he turned to see Shikamaru staring at him suspiciously. The Uchiha glared at him, trying to intimidate him but, to his fury, the shadow nin just rolled his eyes.

Looks like Naruto wasn't the only problem he'd have to deal with…

---

A/N: Sasuke really annoyed me in the last scene (kind of planned that way, I suppose, considering he's a bastard). Makes me want to send a Kyuu-empowered Minato after him. Kind of curious to see how many people would agree with me or if they have any better punishments in mind (would be a good laugh, ne?).


	11. It All Comes Together

Here's the next chapter. I just let my instincts guide me through this one (I had been worried about how the battle would turn out given all of the changes… I needn't have worried at all). Hope you like it.

**FifthDayofMay**: I had a lot of fun writing that part. Glad it got a good reception, I'd been a little self conscious of the thought that maybe I went a little overboard… I like you're idea, would be so funny to see, wouldn't it? *snerk*

**Green7butterfly**: That's a creative punishment… *tries to imagine*

**Alda MN**: Don't worry, Sakura and Ino will get an eye-opener eventually. I didn't mean for them to sound all bitchy but I figured that would be how they would have reacted at this point and time, right?

**Kalsifer**: I agree Naruto can most definitely handle Sasuke… just the image of Sasuke being dealt with by someone so much more powerful than him helps feed my sadistic plot bunnies…

**AspergianStoryteller**: I know Sasuke has some good in him but with how this story was designed, Sasuke is kind of a perpetual bastard… plus it's hard to write good!Sasuke when he's being so infuriating in the manga.

**YumeTakato**: It really is hard to keep a mindset that Haku is male with all of the gender bending. It's kind of sad.

**HikariNoTenshi-San**: Your review really made me laugh when I read it. I love getting such enthusiastic reviews.

**Dhh**: All I can say is to have a little patience. It's not that Naruto can't fight back, he's just biding his time. After all, it would be just as immature to lash out when they are being immature, I'd reckon. Naruto is in no way weak, I assure you.

: Sasuke will most likely try something but not as of yet. Too soon for that. And don't worry, things are going to start progressing again. Hope it meets your expectations.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto, if I did, the Sasuke in the manga right now would get barbecued.

---

Chapter Ten: It All Comes Together

The next morning Team 7 and Team 10 were discussing who would go to the bridge.

Naruto was still asleep, having tired himself out planning things out with Haku and Zabuza. Kakashi had told everyone to let him sleep.

"I'll tae Sasuke, Shikamaru and Sakura with me to the bridge. Asuma-sensei has volunteered to stay here to watch over Tsunami and Inari alongside Chouji, Ino and Naruto once he wakes up," Kakashi said and they split up.

It was nearly an hour later that Naruto woke up and subsequently freaked out over oversleeping.

"Why didn't any of you wake me up?!" Naruto asked Chouji, Ino and Asuma as he burst out, hurrying to get dressed.

"Kakashi-sensei told us not to. He said you'd been up late," Chouji explained.

"Mou," Naruto complained. He headed for the door but Asuma stopped him.

"Hold it right there, Naruto… you were assigned to help guard Tazuna's family like the rest of us," the Sandaime's son told the Yondaime's son.

~_You've got to be kidding me,_~ Naruto groused. ~_How am I supposed to help with the plan now?_~

~Don't worry, I filled Kakashi in on everything last night. He'll be able to take care of it until we can slip away,~ Minato ensured the boy.

Naruto sighed before agreeing.

* * *

Kakashi and Zabuza clashed as Haku kept Sasuke and Shikamaru busy. Sakura stayed with Tazuna, acting as a guard.

"Why do you fight so hard for this man? He cant even pay you properly for this mission!" Zabuza exclaimed.

Kakashi recognized the statement for what it was: Zabuza was trying to see if the Copy Nin was in the fold about the plan.

"Our Yondaime once said… to abandon your duty is not courageous. Below the courageous, there is nothing," Kakashi responded.

Mentioning the Yondaime served to be the right cue because realization seemed to dawn in Zabuza's eyes and he gave Kakashi a subtle nod of acknowledgement.

Minato had told Kakasi that they were staging this to make sure the people of Nami no Kuni got their courage back… that's why Kakashi had left Naruto behind. The boy had a way of inspiring people as proved by how he motivated Shikamaru and turned Zabuza and Haku to their side.

* * *

"This is so troublesome…" Shikamaru grumbled as he dodged as many of the senbon coming his way. "I wish I could have been stuck on guard duty."

"Quit complaining and try to think of a way to beat this guy!" Sasuke snapped at the lazy Nara.

"Hn," Shikamaru shot Sasuke's trademark response back at him as his mind whirled with different ideas on how to deal with their situation.

'_Naruto told me that the boy with the ponytail would pose a problem because he's too smart for his own good, mixed in with the other boy's arrogant and hot-headed nature, the plan is in danger if they break free,_' Haku thought.

It didn't take Shikamaru long to realize that Haku was not facing them with the intent to kill.

'_Something is not what it seems…_' the intelligent youth thought to himself.

* * *

'_I expected there to be people who would attack, but I didn't think _this_ many,_' Naruto thought to himself as he and his current teammates fended off the large group of swordsmen that Gatou had employed.

He heard Tsunami's scream and cursed as he realized some of the swordsmen had managed to get to her.

~Let me take over for a moment, Naruto,~ Minato requested.

~_A moment?_~ Naruto repeated, sounding confused.

~It's all I need,~ Minato elaborated and Naruto conceded.

Within the next few seconds, all that could be seen was a vivid golden light and all that could be heard were agonized screams.

Finished with his enemies, Naruto rushed to save Tsunami.

He arrived in time to see Inari lunging for the swordsmen who were about to kill him.

A quick Kawarimi was all that was needed to save the two civilians before Naruto's Kage Bunshin did away with the goons.

Inari stared at Naruto with an awed expression. "You took them out so easily," he gaped.

"What can I say? I've always got a few tricks up my sleeve," Naruto said cheekily with a wink. "I wanted to say I'm sorry… about last night. You're not a weakling. You're strong for trying to save your mother." Naruto affectionately ruffled Inari's hair.

Inari's eyes widened at the praise and to his shame, tears started to come to his eyes. "Damn it, I told myself I wouldn't cry anymore…" he muttered.

"It's alright to cry when you're happy," Naruto declared warmly, eyes shining with understanding.

The moment got interrupted by Asuma, Ino and Chouji as they rushed over, finished with the large group of warriors.

"Naruto, we've got to go… if we were attacked here, the others may have been attacked too," Asuma said. "Ino and Chouji, keep watch over Inari-kun and Tsunami-san."

The Genin nodded and went about their orders.

* * *

Shikamaru was in his classic thinking position while Sasuke covered for him.

They had tried to run out of the ice dome and that had failed. Sasuke had attempted to melt the ice with Katon jutsu and that had failed as well. Lastly, Haku was way too fast for Shikamaru to be able to capture using the shadows…

"Have you figured anything out yet?" Sasuke queried impatiently.

"I won't if you keep bothering me!" Shikamaru shot back, mind whirring.

Sasuke would have glared but he was too busy dodging senbon and making sure that none would hit the strategist. He found it was getting easier the more he concentrated, not realizing that he'd activated his Sharingan.

Shikamaru recalled Naruto and Asuma teaching him one Fuuton jutsu during their training sessions. While Shikamaru wasn't a Wind type, it was one he could use relatively well aside from his elemental affinity, Water.

He then thought back to something Naruto had once told him during the week when they'd trained together.

/_"I'm not surprised your affinity is water, Shikamaru. A calm guy like you is well matched with the element. But you know… a little wind always stirs things up… an uncontrollable force that can't be contained that can even send the calm water into a frenzy or free a contained flame…_/

'_The wind is just like you, Naruto,_' Shikamaru thought. Naruto was able to motivate him when he was being lazy and turn the cold Uchiha into a complete hot head and yet, no one was able to contain his endless energy. He was a free spirit and Shikamaru wouldn't have it any other way.

Getting up with newly formed resolve, Shikamaru turned to the now curious Sasuke.

"On my call, use your most powerful Katon jutsu," Shikamaru instructed his current teammate.

"We already tried that!" Sasuke yelled irately. Shikamaru glared at him.

"Just do as I say," the shadow nin said. "I've got an idea."

Sasuke didn't appreciate being told what to do but if Shikamaru's idea worked… "Fine," he conceded.

Shikamaru followed Haku's movements with his eyes, trying to find the right timing to go about his plan.

A minute later, he'd gathered all the information he'd needed.

"Now!" Shikamaru ordered, going through hand signs at the same time Sasuke went through his.

"_Katon: Gokyakyu no Jutsu_!"

"_Fuuton: Daitoppa!_"

The timing of the attacks was such that they mixed together so perfectly that even Shikamaru was surprised by how brilliant the newly formed fireball became as it struck the ice mirror Haku had just entered, shattering it and sending the stunned Hyouton user skidding across the bridge.

"They broke Haku's mirrors?" Zabuza stated, sounding stunned.

While Kakashi was glad the two Genin had found an impressive way to get out of their predicament, he wondered how this would affect the plan.

"Sasuke-kun did it!" Sakura squealed while Inner Sakura celebrated alongside her.

'**As would be expected of him, Shannaro!**' Inner Sakura yelled with a large, manic grin.

'_What am I? Chopped liver?_' Shikamaru thought before sighing. '_Troublesome…_'

"It's over for you!" Sasuke cried, lunging at a weakened Haku with a kunai.

"Haku!" Zabuza couldn't help but exclaim, fearing for his apprentice.

He needn't have worried.

Sasuke's eyes widened as he found Naruto defending Haku against him.

"What the hell, dobe? Get out of the way!" the Uchiha growled, glaring with his Sharingan eyes, aiming to intimidate the blonde.

No such luck.

"I won't," Naruto shot back.

"Naruto-baka, stop being stupid and let Sasuke deal with that ice bastard!" Sakura yelled angrily.

"Sorry but that's a no-can-do," the blonde retorted.

"Last chance, usoratonkachi. Get out of the way or I'll be forced to move you myself," the avenger warned.

"Go ahead and try," Naruto challenged. Sasuke gritted his teeth.

"Fine… don't say I didn't warn you," he scowled about to make his move when he felt a hard blow to the stomach, courtesy of Minato himself, knocking him out instantly.

Naruto, Kakashi, Haku and Zabuza, who were the only ones who could see the Yondaime, flinched in sympathy for the Uchiha – but only just.

~_You over did it, Tou-san,_~ Naruto reprimanded. ~_Besides… I could have done that myself._~

Minato was completely unrepentant. ~He deserved it,~ he said. ~That was revenge for him kissing you.~

~**Sometimes, I wonder who's the child, you or Naruto?**~ Kyuubi sighed.

~Come on, you can't say he didn't have it coming,~ Minato defended himself.

~**You just wanted to take out your anger towards the Uchiha clan on the only one left within reach,**~ Kyuubi said.

~You hate the Uchiha clan too, you now,~ Minato pointed out.

~**Yes,**~ Kyuubi agreed. ~**But the one who will be blamed for your actions will be Naruto.**~

It was only with that little piece of knowledge that Minato finally looked chastised.

"What did you do that for, Naruto?" Sakura screamed, enraged by the sight of the unconscious Sasuke.

Naruto didn't get the chance to answer because that was when they noticed the arrival of a bunch of new threats.

Gatou had finally arrived, alongside countless numbers of his hired goons.

"Looks like things are getting interesting, hmm?" Gatou sneered, eyes raking over all of the shinobi.

"Gatou, what are you doing here?" Zabuza asked, playing his part.

"The plan has changed, Zabuza… well actually, this is what I planned to do from the very beginning. I'm going to kill you and everyone here… that way I don't need to pay for your services and still get what I want," Gatou declared smugly.

~_Just as we thought,_~ Naruto thought with narrowed eyes. Seeing the man up close and personal… seeing how despicable he was… really ticked the blonde off.

"Hiring a normal ninja is way too expensive and they could betray me. So I hire you nuke-nin instead… you're all so easy to take care of. The ninja fight each other until they're too weak to defend themselves and then I have them killed. Brilliant plan, isn't it?" Gatou ranted.

To Gatou's surprise, Zabuza only laughed.

"Looks like the joke's on you," Zabuza smirked, making Asuma, Shikamaru and Sakura very confused. "We've been waiting for you."

With that said, Zabuza, Haku and Kakashi lunged into battle, showing how _not_ tired they truly were. Once Asuma figured out who was the real opponent, he joined as well.

As they deal with the goons, Naruto headed for Gatou, who was attempting to flee.

As he hid himself amongst the fighting mass, he performed a jutsu he and Kyuubi had been working on.

"_Oiroke no Jutsu! Kitsune style!_"

Gatou stumbled to a stop as he saw a sultry red-haired woman enter his field of vision, giving him an inviting look.

Distracted from the urge to flee by Kyuubi's allure, the business man was drawn to the lovely demoness, drool beginning to leak from his mouth and blood dripped from his nose.

He began to try to charm the amused fox demon with promises of riches beyond her imagination and other enticing offers, not realizing the danger he was in.

Kyuubi pretended to consider the offer by flashing a charming smile. "You make a very good offer," she purred, almost melting the despicable man into goo. "But I don't think y children or my mate much appreciate it."

"What?" a confused Gatou asked in confusion before he saw a large group of hostile foxes emerging from the forest and as a strange shock ran through him, Gatou came face to face with a murderous Yondaime Hokage.

"W-Who are you?!" Gatou stuttered in fear.

"Your Shinigami," Minato said sadistically, flashing a kunai. Gatou let out a high-pitched scream and turned to run only to get impaled on Kakashi's Chidori.

He died instantly.

The remaining goons, a still sizable amount of them still standing, made loud noises of discontent at the sight of their employer's execution.

"You just eliminated our meal ticket!" one yelled.

"We'll just have to loot this town to make up for it!" another asserted.

"No, you won't!" a familiar voice rang out and everyone saw Inari, Ino and Chouji leading a large group of villagers armed with pitchforks and other make do weapons.

"Good job, Inari!" Naruto cheered for the boy, popping out of the henge. "My turn! _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!_" A bunch of clones popped up all around him, producing an intimidating army for the goons to face.

Catching on, Asuma, Zabuza and Kakashi did the same.

Scared by how outnumbered they were, the goons fled.

Everyone cheered, save for a confused Sakura and the unconscious Sasuke.

"What just happened?" Sakura asked.

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Shikamaru asked her, wondering how she'd been labeled Top Kunoichi in their academy class. "They set a trap."

"Why didn't they tell us?" a chagrined Sakura inquired.

"I suppose because the plan may not have worked if all of us knew. It wouldn't look quite as real," Shikamaru rationalized.

Zabuza approached Naruto, an unreadable look on his face.

"That jutsu of yours… that henge… is rather dangerous," he said, sounding a little embarrassed.

It was then that Naruto noticed the blood leaking through the bandages covering Zabuza's mouth and nose. He grinned mischievously.

"Who knew? Momochi Zabuza, Demon of the Bloody Mist, is a pervert!" he teased, invoking Zabuza's anger.

"Come here, brat!" the swordsman exclaimed, chasing the hysterical Jinchuuriki around the bridge.

* * *

Sasuke was not happy.

Not only had his dobe of a teammate succeeded in knocking him out but it had been to protect a plan that said dobe had created and successfully pulled off, alongside their once enemies no less!

He was more than a little peeved that he'd been left out of the fold, never mind the fact that Team 10 and Sakura had also not been informed.

His humiliation at the hands of his pathetic teammate made him thirst for revenge.

'_You'll pay for this, Naruto… that's a promise,_' he vowed.

* * *

A few weeks went by as Tazuna and his men finished building the bridge. During that time, Kakashi used his Sharingan to erase any bold memories of Minato's existence from the minds of everyone, save for Haku and Zabuza on Naruto's request.

Therefore, the suspicions Team 10, Sasuke and Sakura had developed had all been suppressed, for the most part.

Haku had been helping Naruto with his Fuuton and Suiton jutsus, even teaching him a few Hyouton jutsus that didn't require his Kekkei Genkai to pull off.

The two nuke-nin had been accepted into Nami no Kuni, much to their surprise and they opted to stay there to protect the shinobi-less nation from any future threats.

"If you ever need our help, just ask," Zabuza told the Konoha nin on the day that they intended to leave. This message was especially directed to Naruto.

"We will," Kakashi said, shaking Zabuza's hand.

"Thanks for all of the help, you two," Naruto said brightly.

"We should be thanking you, Naruto-kun," Haku said. "For opening our eyes." The feminine boy made a subtle nod of acknowledgement to Minato

"It was no problem," Naruto said with a small smile. He glanced at all of the villagers who had come to see them off before focusing on a sad Inari. "Don't worry, we'll come visit," he promised.

"You better," Inari stated, fighting off tears.

"It's okay to cry if you want to," Naruto pointed out, feeling a bit sad himself.

"I'm not going to cry, but you can if you want," Inari shot back.

"Fine… later," Naruto quickly did an about face, so that the smaller boy wouldn't notice the tear that streamed out of his eye.

'_They're like twins,_' Ino thought to herself as the other shinobi followed the blonde boy.

~You did good on this mission, Naruto. I'm proud of you,~ Minato stated as he walked alongside his son.

~_Thanks,_~ Naruto beamed, pleased with the compliment.

~I guess I have to keep with my promise then,~ Minato remarked. ~I'll start training you for the Hiraishin now.~

~_Yatta! It's about time!_~ Naruto exclaimed.

~Don't get your hopes too high up, Naruto. It's going to take a good long while to get you up to the standards needed to use it. You need perfect chakra control, mastery of all seals and you need to be fast enough to handle the rapid-fire movements, at least enough so that your body won't be ripped apart from using it. It's going to be a lot of hard work,~ Minato reminded him.

~_Since when have I ever backed down from something?_~ Naruto shot back.

~Point,~ Minato remarked. ~Then it's time to adjust the gravity seals…~

~_Again? Ah damn…_~ Naruto whined crossly, hating having to get used to more weight again.

---

A/N: I've been contemplating a thought that I feel is a bit of a necessary evil in the story.

Minato and Naruto are going to disagree about something at one point and get into a big disagreement but I'm trying to think of a strong enough reason why. Possibilities I've got so far are:

Minato's overprotectiveness goes overboard and Naruto gets annoyed

Minato doesn't trust that Team 7 is ready for Chuunin exams, hurting Naruto's feeling over the thought that his own father may not believe in him (or something like that)

Something else…?

I could use a little help with which one to pick and how to make it strong enough to temporarily put a block between father and son.

Also, it's coming time for Naruto's outfit change. I thought it would be fun to see what kind of outfit you think he ought to wear.


	12. Unexpected Visitors

I'm finally back with another chapter of the story. Sorry for the wait. I got 40 reviews for the last chapter… something that's never happened before, so I'm pumped over that. Glad you all liked it. I'd been fretting over it for the battle scenes.

I decided for the reason to fight, it will be because Minato displays thoughts over how Team 7 may not be ready for the Chuunin Exams. It does seem to be the most plausible choice.

I know the story has been sticking a little closely to the original timeline but I was waiting for the Chuunin Exams to come around because this is where I want Naruto to really start to shine, where everyone can see him. I hope you can be a little bit more patient with me. We're almost there.

**Darke wulf**: I figured Kyuubi would act as a mediator as well. I can't see her really picking a side on this matter, can you? And I had been wondering about the Sasuke-Naruto matter… their animosity just kinda flew off on me. You make a valid point about and it and a good suggestion.

**BratCat**: I guess I did… oops. Guess I got a little too caught up on how to settle out the battle. Sorry, Sakuya…

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

---

Chapter Eleven: Unexpected Visitors

~Naruto can't receive his inheritance until he becomes a Jounin or he turns 18… what on Earth was I thinking when I made that condition in my will?!~ Minato groused as he helped Naruto clean up the graffiti that covered the outside of his apartment. ~Nobody would have dared do such a thing to the Namikaze estate…~

~**That's because they all love you… unfortunately, they hate Naruto by an equal amount,**~ Kyuubi said, sounding displeased.

~Sometimes I almost wish I'd taken Naruto and just let the village go to hell,~ Minato muttered maliciously.

~_Come on, Tou-san, don't be like that. They're just like scared children. They'll come around eventually. We just need to be a little patient,_~ Naruto stated.

~For someone whose taken after his mother so much as you have, that ought to be hard,~ Minato commented.

~_Oh shut up,_~ Naruto shot back as he continued scrubbing.

They heard a yip and they saw Sakuya on the street below them. She now had a Konoha headband around her neck, making her an official Konoha nin fox. Kakashi was helping Naruto train her.

Noting that she had a note in her mouth, Naruto went down to meet her.

~What's it say?~ Minato asked.

"Kakashi-sensei wants us to meet him at the bridge," Naruto said. "Guess clean up will have to wait."

Two hours later, the irate Team 7 glared at the just arriving Kakashi.

"Don't tell me… you got lost on the road of life," Naruto said sarcastically.

"Actually, I was coming here when I saw a black cat go across my path, so I took the long route," Kakashi countered. The Genin groaned.

"So what were we called here for, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura queried.

Kakashi was about to speak when he noticed the bird flying above them. It looked like he'd have to cut the meeting off before it even started.

"I called you here to tell you… that we have no missions today. See you," he said brightly before disappearing.

"He called us here just for that?" Sakura exclaimed in disbelief. "What a waste of time!"

~Something must have come up,~ Minato mused, having noticed the messenger bird as well. ~Kakashi did tell me that the Chuunin Exams hosted here in Konoha are coming up. Most likely he was summoned for the Nominations period.~

~_Cool_,~ Naruto commented, looking intrigued, completely oblivious to the scene between Sakura and Sasuke in which she tried to convince the avenger to let her train with him. She was failing miserably.

It was a little while later that Naruto noticed a square rock with eye holes following him. Rolling his eyes, he turned and faced his followers.

"There's no such thing as a square rock. Come out now," he ordered.

"As would be expected of my rival!" Konohamaru's familiar voice rang out and in a violent poof of smoke, the Sandaime's grandson appeared with his two partners in crime.

They then proceeded to go through a silly introduction that amused Minato and Naruto and irritating the sulky Sakura who had been following them silently.

~I think they'd get along well with Sensei,~ Minato stated with a grin.

"You promised you'd play ninja with us today," Konohamaru reminded the blonde Genin.

"Oh yeah, that's right," Naruto recalled, looking a little sheepish. "I was going to train…"

"You promised, Boss," Konohamaru whined.

"Why would a ninja 'play' ninja?" Sakura asked, glowering at Naruto, wondering how Sasuke could believe he'd surpassed her.

"Who's she?" Konohamaru questioned before a sly look appeared on his face. "Is she your…" he faltered off as he displayed his pinky.

Naruto snorted. "No, she's not my type," he admitted frankly.

Sakura was surprised by Naruto's statement. She had always thought he'd had a crush on her. It was a little off putting to find that the idiot who had seemed to worship the ground she'd waked on no longer deemed her worthy of his time. It was a blow to her self-esteem.

Konohamaru gave Sakura a critical look before nodding in understanding. "I can see what you mean… she's got too big a forehead and she's not all that attractive," he said bluntly.

~His lack of tact is going to haunt him,~ Minato declared, noticing the enraged look on Sakura's face.

"Konohamaru, as your rival and friend, I'm going to give you a piece of advice… run," Naruto said.

Konohamaru obeyed just as Sakura lunged at him.

"Come back here!" she yelled. "I'm going to kick your ass!"

Letting out a scream of fear, Konohamaru ran faster. "Who'd want a butch woman like you?" he yelled out.

"GRAAH!" Sakura roared, moving faster.

Yelping, Konohamaru raced forward until he bumped into a guy clad in what looked like black pajamas with a strange hat that made him look like he head cat ears and purple face makeup. He had what looked like a mummy on his back. A girl with blonde hair in four ponytails stood beside him with a large fan on her back.

The boy glared at Konohamaru and lifted him off of his feet. "That hurt, brat," he scowled.

"Let him go!" Naruto exclaimed, not wanting his young friend to get hurt at the older boy's hands.

~A Suna hitai-ite… these two must be here for the Chuunin Exams, but where's their third teammate?~ Minato wondered, eyes scanning the area before his eyes fell over a nearby tree. ~Over there.~

"Why should I?" This kid needs to learn a lesson in manners," the Suna nin stated.

"He's the Hokage's grandson! That should be enough reason to put him down unless you want to create a diplomatic incident!" Naruto scowled.

"Put him down, Kankurou. The last thing we need is trouble," the blonde companion said, looking nervous. "_He_ won't like it."

"Oh, calm down, Temari. I just want a little fun," Kankurou stated, before looking at Naruto. "If you want to save him so badly, do it yourself."

"Fine, I will," Naruto declared, launching himself forward.

~Be careful, Naruto. He's a puppet user,~ Minato warned his son.

~_Noted,_~ the Jinchuuriki responded, using his wind chakra to sever the chakra cords that Kankurou had produced to try to trap Naruto.

… Or at least he was about to when he caught sight of three approaching Genin with Iwa hitai-ite. He ceased the use of his elemental chakra and got knocked off his feet by the puppeteer.

Kankurou guffawed loudly at Naruto's humiliation. "Who knew Konoha Genin were so weak?"

That was when a stone struck Kankurou's hand. Yelping, he dropped Konohamaru, who scurried over to Naruto.

Everyone looked to see Sasuke sitting on a branch of a tree, clearly the offender.

"What are you doing in our village?" Sasuke asked coolly.

'_Chaa! Sasuke-kun is so cool!_' Sakura squealed to herself, going into fangirl mode.

'_Another annoyance,_' Kankurou scowled.

'_He's kind of cute,_' Temari thought in approval.

~_Stupid showoff,_~ Naruto and Minato chorused together, snorting in contempt.

Konohamaru scurried off back to Naruto's side, looking petulantly at the blonde.

"Naruto-nii-san… you suck. I believed in you," Konohamaru sulked, disappointed over how Naruto had gotten humiliated at Kankurou's hands.

Naruto didn't bother to try to defend himself. He had gotten distracted by the sight of the Iwa nin that were approaching slowly but surely. He hadn't expected the Sandaime to allow them in for the Chuunin Exams.

"Hey, punk, get down here!" Kankurou demanded, glaring at Sasuke. "I hate showoffs like you the most." He then proceeded to put his bandaged up puppet onto the ground. Temari quickly reacted.

"You're going to use _him_?" she asked in disbelief. The puppet user didn't seem like he was going to listen to her when a cold voice rang out.

"Kankurou, stop," their third teammate ordered from behind Sasuke. Judging from the look on Sasuke's face, he hadn't been able to sense him.

A redhead with cold green eyes outlined by dark circles stood upside down, glaring at a now frightened Kankurou.

"You are an embarrassment to our village," he declared icily and Kankurou flinched.

"G-Gaara…" Kankurou stuttered, looking downright terrified.

~There's no love between these teammates,~ Minato mused. He found it odd.

~**That boy reeks of Shukaku's chakra…**~ Kyuubi said. ~**He's a Jinchuuriki just like you, Naruto, but his seal is nowhere as strong as the one Minato designed. It's driving both the boy and Shukaku insane. Looking at the dark circles under his eyes, he can't even sleep.**~

~_Thank Kami that you're a seal master, Tou-san,_~ Naruto said, relieved that the same fate hadn't befell him. Nevertheless, he felt a sense of connection to the redhead. They had something in common, something big.

"Losing yourself in a fight… pathetic," Gaara sneered scornfully. "Why do you think we came to Konoha?"

"Listen, Gaara… they started it," the puppeteer insisted.

"Shut up," Gaara snapped. "I'll kill you."

Kankurou swallowed nervously and instantly began to plead for forgiveness, all of this being observed by the puzzled Konoha residents.

'_So he's the leader,_' Sasuke realized. '_He's got strange eyes._'

Gaara turned to Sasuke. "I apologize for my teammate's poor behavior," he apologized, eyeing Sasuke assessingly. '_He's good to have been able to land a hit on Kankurou…_'

With that, Gaara vanished and reappeared between his teammates in a flurry of sand. "We may have arrived here early but that gives you no right to play around," he scolded in an emotionless voice.

"I know that…" Kankurou sulked.

"Let's go," Gaara ordered and his teammates looked quick to listen.

"Hey, wait!" Sakura called out. "You're Suna-nin right? You may be allies with our village, but you need permission to enter our village. State your purpose."

Temari scoffed derisively. "Talk about being clueless," she sneered. "We're here for the Chuunin Exams."

"The Chuunin Exams are happening now?" Sakura asked in surprise. She hadn't known that.

At that moment, Sasuke leapt in front of his teammates, glowering at the Suna nin.

"Hey, what's your name?" he asked Gaara.

"Subaku no Gaara," was the Jinchuuriki's simple reply. "And yours?"

"Uchiha Sasuke," the raven-haired nin smirked.

That was when the group was joined by another group… the Iwa team that Naruto had noticed and backed off because of.

"This is an interesting gathering," a boy with sandy brown hair and hazel eyes declared, eyes raking over everyone before his eyes fell on Naruto.

The Namikaze stiffened and glared. "What are you looking at?" he snapped.

"You," was the boy's blunt reply as he licked his lips in an unsettling manner.

"Why?" the blue-eyed youth queried. Within a blink of an eye, the boy was within Naruto's personal space, brushing his hand against Naruto's hair.

"No offense meant but you have such… exotic features. You don't see many blue-eyed blondes outside of the Yamanaka clan. You wouldn't happen to be one of them, would you?" the boy questioned.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, not a Yamanaka," the blonde Genin said.

"I'm Tanaka Daichi," the boy introduced himself in return. "I've never heard of an Uzumaki clan in Konoha, have you Kougyoku-sensei?"

Naruto looked at the sensei of the three Iwa Genin and felt his dad stiffen.

~_What's wrong, Tou-san?_~ he asked, sounding concerned.

~That man… he's Kougyoku Jin… I faced him during the Third Shinobi War,~ the Yondaime admitted.

~_You faced him and let him survive?_~ Naruto gaped.

~I was fighting him when my team got into the trouble that cost Obito his life,~ Minato explained. ~I left him wounded as I went to help them.~

~**So the great Yondaime Hokage defeated this man but didn't bother to finish him… a humiliating loss,**~ Kyuubi mused.

~Be careful around him, Naruto… be careful around them all for that matter,~ Minato said, worried for Naruto's safety in the case that the Iwa nin were able to discern Naruto's identity.

"Not that I know of," Jin stated. "There had been one in the former Uzu no Kuni, however."

"I don't have a clan," Naruto lied with an even voice. "At least not that I know of. I'm an orphan."

"How unfortunate," Jin remarked, not sounding remotely sympathetic. "I can't help but think, however, that you bear a great resemblance to the Yondaime Hokage. It makes me wonder if he'd had a child before he killed himself."

"He never had a kid, Kakashi-sensei told us that himself," Sakura said, flinching as the man turned to her.

"Kakashi… as in Hatake Kakashi?" he asked, eyes burning with interest. "You're his students? How interesting. Given his reputation, I would have thought you all would have impressive abilities, but looking at you, I'd say you don't."

Sasuke snarled at the insult. He was about to lunge at the man when Jin appeared behind him, forcing Sasuke to his knees.

"You would think that the Last of the Uchiha clan would know how to control his temper better," Jin drawled. "Pathetic."

The Suna nin were merely observing the situation, too curious to just walk away.

Jin proceeded to turn to Naruto and he was about to approach him when Sakuya burst out of nowhere and stood in front of her "mother" protectively, snarling in a threatening manner.

Naruto turned to see Team 10 standing there, looking surprised at the large group.

~**Sakuya must have been with your mate this entire time,**~ Kyuubi mused.

~_For the last time, Shikamaru isn't my mate!_~ Naruto protested.

~**I never said Shikamaru,**~ Kyuubi said, sounding sly. Naruto flushed as he realized his mistake.

~_Well… who else could you be talking about?_~ Naruto muttered to himself.

Seeing that any more attention would prove to be troublesome, the Iwa nin backed off.

"Daichi, Michiru, Osamu… it's time to go," Jin stated as he turned to leave. He gave Naruto one last look. "You really do look like the Yondaime Hokage… you have the same striking appearance that he had."

Daichi snorted. "Save for that horrid orange jumpsuit."

Naruto raised an eyebrow at that, ignoring the insult. Minato looked chagrined.

~Let's just say… he's a little queer,~ the ex-Hokage stated, remembering how it had been to fight the infuriating Iwa Jounin.

Kyuubi suddenly let out a large wave of killing intent as she glared at Jin through Naruto's eyes.

~**Back off, bitch, he's **_**mine**_**,**~ she growled, wrapping her tails around Minato possessively.

Minato gazed at her in amusement. ~I didn't know you felt so strongly for me, Kyuu-chan,~ he stated teasingly.

~**Damn straight,**~ Kyuubi snarled, surprising the blonde Hokage as she dragged him off to her den.

Figuring that he didn't want to know what was going on between his dad and his maternal figure, he mentally blocked them off and he became aware of Gaara staring at him.

"What?" he asked in confusion.

"You… are like me," the green-eyed Jinchuuriki stated, seeming intrigued by him now, when he had seemed bored by him before.

Team 10, Sasuke, Sakura, Temari and Kankurou raised their eyebrows at this. It was the last thing they'd expected the frightening Genin to say to the village idiot.

"It would seem so," Naruto said, not sounding remotely surprised as he went to pick Sakuya up. "I suppose I'll be seeing you later, Tanuki-san." Temari and Kankurou paled as they understood just how Naruto and Gaara were similar.

With that, Naruto turned to leave.

"Wait," Gaara called out, causing the blonde to pause.

"Yes?" Naruto inquired curiously.

"Which one are you?" Gaara questioned. Naruto smirked as he stroked Sakuya. He looked down at her and back at Gaara.

"Isn't it obvious?" he responded and Gaara's siblings began choking in fear. "You and I have a lot in common, Gaara. If you ever want to talk, you'll know where to find me."

Naruto walked away without another word.

"We're leaving," Gaara told his terrified siblings and the Suna nin left, leaving a group of confused Konoha nin behind.

"Did anybody understand what's going on?" Ino asked.

"Other than the fact that Naruto has got the dangerous attention of Iwa nin who think he's related to the Yondaime Hokage and he and that creepy redhead think that they're similar to one another in some way, not much," Shikamaru stated.

"How could someone like Naruto have anything in common with someone like _that_?" Sakura queried. She still had shivers running down her back from being in Gaara's presence.

"Who knows? Naruto has always been an enigma," Shikamaru stated with a shrug. '_Ironic for one we all thought wore his heart out on his sleeve._'

"That dobe? An enigma? Don't make me laugh. He's only trying to act cool," Sasuke snorted, still peeved over the entire incident.

Shikamaru frowned at Sasuke before sighing. "It would be too troublesome to argue with you, so I'll let you keep your biased beliefs for now. Don't blame me when Naruto pulls a fast one on you some time in the future," he said coldly as he left as well.

"Don't be mean to Sasuke-kun!" Ino scolded Shikamaru, who merely ignored her.

The lazy genius looked up at the sky and frowned.

'_A storm is coming… and that's not necessarily a good thing._'


	13. Kindred Spirits

Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter out. Finals and stupid MCAT study got in the way. Hope you like the chapter. I feel pretty good about it.

* * *

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

Chapter Twelve: Kindred Spirits

Kakashi observed Iruka from a tree outside of Chuunin's small but cozy looking home. The scarred Academy teacher was still clearly upset about the Chuunin Exam nominations.

Kakashi hadn't liked getting into a fight with Iruka over how ready his team as for the Chuunin Exams but he felt that nominating them was right. He believed in his team. He knew they weren't perfect, particularly in terms of their teamwork but they came through when it mattered. This Exam would teach them a good lesson in a mostly risk-free setting considering the Chuunin Exams were in Konoha this time.

Iruka would understand his reasons sooner or later.

He broke out of his reverie when he had to dodge a kunai. Looking at the culprit, he found Iruka glaring at him from his open window.

"Why are you spying on me?" the Chuunin frowned, looking adorably incensed in Kakashi's opinion.

"I just wanted to see how you were," Kakashi answered truthfully.

Iruka huffed. "How do you think I am?" he snapped, walking away from the window but leaving it open.

Kakashi took it as an invitation and entered the home, eyeing Iruka as he busied himself in the kitchen.

"I know you're angry, Iruka-sensei, but I really believe Team Seven is ready for these exams. They've worked very hard… and they've grown so much, especially Naruto. If you saw them, you'd see that I'm right," Kakashi stated.

"It's only been six months," Iruka said. "The Chuunin Exams are dangerous… they could die!"

He'd seen that himself too many times. One of his own teammates had fell in the Exam. He didn't want to see that happen to Naruto.

"Naruto won't let that happen," Kakashi commented. "You know as well as I do, if not more, just how determined Naruto gets when he puts his heart into something. He's a lot stronger than he lets on."

"I suppose you're right," Iruka stated, sounding a little uncertain. "I just thought that…"

"That I was like the rest of those prejudiced bastards wanting to see Naruto dead, right?" Kakashi finished Iruka's sentence, noting the scarred Chuunin's guilty look. I assure you, I care for Naruto just as much as you do. He's like a little brother to me."

"But you've only known him for a few months," Iruka frowned in confusion.

"Officially yes, but I've known him a lot longer," Kakashi said. "You see, I was one of his ANBU guards."

Iruka's eyes widened as he recalled the ANBU that used to watch over Naruto when he was younger. One of them had been silver-haired… in fact, it was the very ANBU who had saved Iruka from a messy demise when the teacher had tried to save Naruto from the Kumo nin that had attempted to kidnap him all those years ago.

"…Hound…" the Academy teacher said, a faint blush spreading across his cheeks. After that incident, Iruka had developed a small crush on the mysterious ANBU. He thought he'd gotten over it but seeing the legendary nin unmasked in front of him – well… sort of, - brought it all back.

"You remember," Kakashi beamed, brushing a hand against Iruka's cheek. Seeing Iruka so selflessly protect his student had been what had first attracted Kakashi to the Chuunin.

"I'm sorry for misjudging you," Iruka stated, feeling ashamed of himself.

"Maa, it's alright, Iruka-sensei. You can make it up to me by coming to dinner with me tomorrow night," Kakashi said, enjoying the sight of Iruka's blush.

"Alright," Iruka agreed shyly, causing Kakashi's smile to grow wider.

* * *

Naruto's eyes snapped open as he felt somebody's presence near him. He pulled a kunai out from under his pillow and prepared to attach when he noticed it was Gaara.

He placed a calming hand on Sakuya's head, causing her to stop growling as her mother deemed Gaara safe.

Gaara raised a nonexistent eyebrow at Naruto's actions. "I could kill you… why are you so relaxed?" he asked coldly.

"If you wanted to kill me, you would have already done so," Naruto pointed out. "You're here for something else."

"You are like me," Gaara stated simply.

"Yes," Naruto agreed. "Nevertheless, you seem to have difficulty suppressing your Bijuu. Can I see your seal?"

Gaara stared at Naruto silently for a moment before pulling his shirt off and then turning his back to the blonde.

Naruto's eyes glowed gold for a moment as Minato took over conscious thought. He frowned at the seal. It was primitive and not doing the job it was supposed to do.

"I can fix the seal," Minato spoke through Naruto. "I can make it so you have better control of Shukaku without worrying about him taking over. This way you'll be able to sleep."

"You'd do that?" Gaara questioned. "Why?"

Naruto smiled softly at Gaara. "Because I understand you. I can see the loneliness and pain in your eyes. I know a kindred spirit when I see one. If I can make your life a little better tha it was before, then I'm happy," he said.

"You don't even know me," Gaara stated, frowning. "You're like yet you're so… happy and selfless… how is that possible?"

"I have my precious people… they kept me from becoming a monster. They are the ones who define my existence," Naruto explained, shocking Gaara.

~**Don't listen to his useless drabble. Crush him and prove your existence!**~ Shukaku shrieked ferally.

Gaara grunted as Shukaku tried to take control but Minato, pulling out of the seal, made a few hand seals before placing a hand on Gaara's forehead. He calmed instantly.

Doing so created a mental connection between the two Jinchuuriki and the memories of their lives in their respective villages was shared.

When they finally returned to full consciousness, they had a better understanding of one another.

"You've had such a hard life," Naruto said, gazing upon Gaara with sympathy. "I don't know what I'd do if _my_ Tou-san tried to assassinate me."

"I would never," Minato, now visible to Gaara said, sounding affronted. "I'd rather die again."

"When you fight to protect someone you become strong," Gaara quoted Naruto and Minato's strongest belief. "You honestly think it works?"

"We _know_ it works," Naruto said with conviction. "It can work for you too."

"I have no precious person," Gaara responded, eyes darkening.

"Yes, you do," Naruto stated. "You have your siblings, and now you have me too."

"What?" Gaara frowned. Naruto held a hand out.

"Friends?" the blonde asked. Gaara didn't move at first before he eventually took Naruto's hand.

"Let's get started on your seal," Minato told Gaara. "While I do so, can you elaborate on the planned Sound/Sand invasion?"

Both he and Naruto had seen the plans for the invasion while looking through Gaara's memories.

Gaara complied while ensuring his new precious people that he and his siblings would not participate in the invasion… at least not against Konoha.

Thirty minutes later, Minato had finished fixing Gaara's seal and the redhead was fighting off sleep.

"Are you certain I can sleep without fear of possession?" Gaara asked Minato.

"Very," was the ex-Hokage's response. "You can stay here for the night if you like."

Gaara agreed. He didn't have the energy to return to the hotel the Sand Siblings had chosen to reside in.

Naruto scooted over in his bed, leaving room for Gaara to climb in.

"You don't mind?" Gaara queried uncertainly.

"Not at all," Naruto said. "We're as good as brothers after all… given everything."

"Brothers," Gaara repeated, a ghost of a smile flashing on his face.

"I wouldn't mind having another son," Minato inserted with a fond smile. "You can look after my little Naru-chan, can't you?"

"Don't call me that, Tou-san," Naruto whined with a pout.

Gaara smirked in amusement. "I can do that," he said calmly, eyes falling on Sakuya, who was much more accepting of him now that her mother seemed to trust the other Jinchuuriki. She even let him pet her.

* * *

The next day, Sasuke and Sakura went to collect their teammate from his apartment because he hadn't appeared at the bridge at the designated meeting time. Considering that Naruto was rarely, if ever, late, they were curious about what had kept him.

"Sasuke-kun!" Ino exclaimed, tackling him with enough force to cause him to stumble.

"What are you doing here, Ino-Pig?" Sakura scowled. "Just because we did a mission together doesn't mean that you can hang around us all the time."

Ino glared at Sakura. "We can do whatever we want, Forehead!" she shot back, referring to herself and her two teammates.

"What are you all up to?" Chouji asked Sasuke in between eating chips.

"We're collecting the dobe," Sasuke grunted, disliking the sight of all the nuisances.

"Cool, we'll come with you," Shikamaru declared, surprising everyone.

Ino smiled slyly at her teammate. "Wishing to see your wife, Shikamaru?" she teased.

The brunette fought back a blush before scoffing. "Don't be ridiculous," he retorted. "Naruto's not my wife."

"You didn't deny wanting to see him," Sakura pointed out gleefully.

"Troublesome women," Shikamaru groaned, deciding to ignore them.

They were getting closer when they bumped into a flustered Temari and Kankurou.

"What's going on? Chouji asked, frowning in confusion.

"Gaara's missing!" a worried Temari admitted. "He disappeared last night."

"How's that our problem?" Sasuke sneered. Kankurou glared.

"Gaara had been acting funny ever since _your_ teammate spoke to him. That, and Gaara's chakra is currently intertwined with your teammate's meaning one thing: they're in the same place," he stated.

"What?" Sakura gaped. The scary redhead was near Naruto? That spelled trouble.

Everyone else seemed to think so because they all hastened their pace toward Naruto's apartment.

When they arrived at the apartment, they found it locked, but that posed no problem for Shikamaru, who unlocked it using the shadows.

He and Sasuke entered the apartment, kunais in hand, scanning for any sign of trouble.

They heard a yip and saw Sakuya standing outside the bedroom. She then scurried inside and the two geniuses followed her in.

What they saw left them stunned.

Naruto and Gaara lay in bed together, both shirtless, with Gaara using Naruto very much like a teddy bear. The rest of their bodies were covered, making it unclear about their overall state of dress.

Sasuke let out an angry growl while Shikamaru just stood there in stunned silence.

The image was burned in the shadow nin's mind, creating an unfamiliar feeling to bubble up inside of him. He'd like to say he didn't know what it was, but he did.

Jealousy.

As much as he'd denied any attraction to the blonde dobe, it had all been for naught. The enigmatic Jinchuuriki had drawn him in past the point of no return.

'_So much for my dreams for the future,_' Shikamaru thought, before glancing at Sasuke. '_I won't lose to you._'

Sasuke's anger got the better of him and he was about to attack Gaara when Sakuya leapt up and bit Sasuke's hand.

Sasuke let out a loud cry of pain before flinging Sakuya away. "Bitch!" he swore, waking both Gaara and Naruto.

Shikamaru dove to catch the fox kit before glaring at Sasuke. "What the hell's wrong with you?" Sasuke ignored him.

Gaara glared at the intruders murderously for interrupting his sleep and invading Naruto's home so callously. "Get out…" he growled summoning sand from his gourd that was leaning against a nearby wall.

Minato placed a calming hand on Gaara's shoulder. "Calm down, let Naruto handle this, okay?"

Gaara retracted the sand reluctantly.

"What are you all doing here?" Naruto asked with a frown, oblivious to Ino and Sakura gaping at his well-toned upper body.

'_Who knew? Naruto-baka is kind of hot,_' Sakura thought before shaking her head to get rid of the traitorous thoughts. "We were coming to pick you up for the team meeting when we bumped into Team 10 and the Sand Genin. They said their teammate was with you and we got worried," she spoke aloud.

"Then we find you _sleeping_ with him!" Sasuke growled, angry that the dobe had offered his bed to another person.

Naruto glared at Sasuke. "What's it to you?" he snapped. "Gaara and I just spent a long time talking last night and we both got tired, so I invited him to stay over because it was too late for him to leave."

Temari and Kankurou paled at that.

"But Gaara… you can't…" Temari began but Gaara interrupted them as he redressed.

"It's been remedied," he said coldly. "Let's go." His siblings could only follow him as he left.

"You just met the guy yesterday and you already let him stay over?" Ino queried in disbelief. "You trust too easily."

"It's quite the opposite, really," Naruto declared, a little coldly. "As it is, I trust Gaara a lot more than I do my own teammates!"

This left everyone stunned.

'_Are we really that horrible to him?_' Sakura thought, guilt rising as she remembered incident after incident of her mistreatment of the sunny Genin. Realizing how much she had wronged him, Sakura vowed to make it up to him whatever way she could.

'_I can't blame him,_' Shikamaru thought as he stroked Sakuya's fur. '_He doesn't exactly have the most cooperative team._'

"That still doesn't explain how you bonded with Gaara so quickly," Sasuke grunted.

"He and I have a lot in common," Naruto stated. "Now if you don't mind, can you get out of my room so I can change?"

Everyone complied, save for Shikamaru.

Naruto didn't quite notice as he was rummaging in his closet for clothes. That is, he didn't until he heard Shikamaru shuffle forward.

"I thought I said…" Naruto began to say as he turned around, but Shikamaru silenced him.

It took a moment for Naruto to realize that Shikamaru was kissing him. It took another moment for him to completely melt into it.

Sakuya yipped and covered her eyes with her paw.

Shikamaru pulled away, smirking at the dazed look in Naruto's eyes. It looked like he finally found a way to make the blonde loudmouth speechless.

Naruto backed off slightly, a little weak-kneed and blushing. "What was that for?" he asked once he found his voice. Shikamaru's smirk didn't waver.

"I'm merely stating my interest," Shikamaru responded calmly before walking out of the room to allow Naruto to get dressed.

Sasuke looked at Shikamaru suspiciously but Shikamaru just ignored him.

~_I'm surprised Tou-san didn't do anything,_~ Naruto mused, knowing how overprotective his father got.

~**I kept him busy,**~ Kyuubi informed her kit, unveiling a ruffled looking Minato from her tails.

~The nerve of that brat,~ Minato scowled. ~Touching my Naru-chan…~

~**You can't protect Naruto from those who are interested forever,**~ Kyuubi pointed out.

~I didn't think it would start so soon,~ Minato scowled, acting very much like a child.

~**If it makes you feel any better, Naruto seemed to like it,**~ Kyuubi stated. Naruto blushed furiously while Minato looked chagrined.

~It doesn't,~ the Yondaime muttered.

* * *

"What did Shikamaru tell you back in your room?" Sasuke asked Naruto as they sat at the bridge, waiting for Kakashi.

"He didn't say anything," Naruto said, which was somewhat the truth. Shikamaru really hadn't said all that much.

"Don't lie to me, dobe!" Sasuke snapped.

"I'm not," Naruto stated. "And why should it matter to you? I can do whatever I want with my friends!"

'_Just wait until I claim you,_' Sasuke thought darkly, glaring at the free-willed blonde. When Naruto finally succumbed to Sasuke, he'd keep him isolated where the blonde could only interact with him and no one else.

At that moment, Kakashi finally arrived.

"Yo," he greeted all of them.

"You're late," Sakura reprimanded.

"Gomen. An old lady required my help," Kakashi stated.

"Liar," Sakura and Naruto chorused.

Kakashi just smiled.

"I've got good news for you," Kakashi declared with a smile. "I've entered the three of you in the Chuunin Exams."

Minato's eyes narrowed. He hadn't expected Kakashi to enter his subordinates into the Chuunin Exams so early. He knew Naruto was ready to become a Chuunin but the exam did revolve around teamwork to a certain degree and that factor of Team Seven was still lacking… and with the Iwa nin already interested in his son, it would be risky. He didn't want to expose Naruto to them too much with the risk of them realizing just how similar Naruto was to their most hated enemy outside of his appearance.

While Naruto was busy being excited over the news, Minato materialized and shot Kakashi a silent look. They would need to talk.

Kakashi nodded subtly before filling his Genin in on the details before letting them go for the day. Minato headed over to Kakashi while Naruto prepared to leave.

It was then Sakura called out to him.

Blinking in surprise, Naruto turned to her.

"Can I help you with something, Sakura?" he asked her.

"I was hoping to talk to you about what you said earlier," Sakura commented, looking at the ground.

Naruto frowned, expecting her to start screeching at him for being so rood but he was surprised by what she said next.

"You had every right to say what you did. We haven't been very nice to you… I've been a bitch to you," Sakura stated, sounding ashamed of herself. "I don't know if you can ever forgive me but I wanted to say I'm sorry. I should have been more understanding and cooperative with you… the way a teammate should be. I'll try to be a better person… I promise."

'_She really feels remorseful,_' Naruto realized in surprise. "That's alright, Sakura," he spoke aloud. "I think we just had a bad start. How about we start over?" He held a hand out for her.

Sakura looked surprised at how willing Naruto was accepting her but she wasn't going to question it. She took his hand and smiled.

"I'd like that," she agreed, glad to have been given a second chance.

"Great," Naruto smiled. "And don't worry about the Chuunin Exams, we'll do great." He had noticed how nervous Sakura had gotten.

Sakura nodded with a matching smiled on her face. Waving goodbye, she went on her way.

'_Looks like there's hope for our team after all,_' he thought to himself happily. '_Now if only we could get Sasuke to cooperate…_'

He paused as he realized that his father hadn't rejoined him yet. He hadn't known what the Yondaime Hokage had wanted to talk to Kakashi about. Minato had kept most of his thoughts to himself. "What's taking him so long?" he mused aloud as he turned back to go find his dad.

He didn't know that what he was about to hear would lead him to having his very first argument with his most precious person.

I was going to have the argument between Naruto and Minato in this chapter but I wanted to do it right, so I thought I'd take more time contemplating it. If anyone has any suggestions that could be helpful, it would be much appreciated. I want to do it tastefully.


	14. Dissonance

Hey, I'm finally back. I'm sorry it took so long. With my MCAT exam only about a month away, I've been finding it hard to sneak a chapter out under my parents' noses (I'm in serious lockdown mode. I swear I'm busier during this summer than I ever am at school, irony, right?).

I hope I made this chapter right, considering the subject matter being addressed. It took me a good long while to feel satisfied with what I came up with. I have to thank **Waterdog** for helping me piece out things that could be addressed during Minato and Naruto's arguments. You really helped me out, and for that, I'm really thankful.

The last chapter got 43 reviews. I was really happy about that. None of my other stories have been as well-received as this one, I'd say. I'm glad you all are enjoying it.

You know I'm beginning to wonder just how much Naruto I have on my mind. Just the other day I saw the word 'sharing' and instantly thought Sharingan. Sad, isn't it? Ah well, that just means more ideas in the future for me, right? *snerk*

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto. If I did, Naruto would have already kicked Sasuke's ass and humbled him.

Chapter 13: Dissonance

"So what is it that you wanted to talk with me about, Sensei?" Kakashi asked Minato as they stood in front of the Memorial Stone. He frowned as he saw the seriousness in Minato's eyes. Whatever Minato had to say, he had a feeling it was big.

"You ought to reconsider the nominations for the Chuunin Exams," the former Hokage finally spoke, startling the masked Jounin.

"Why?" he asked. That had been the last thing he had expected to hear from the Yondaime Hokage.

"It's too dangerous," Kakashi's former sensei stated gravely.

"There are always going to be the chance of danger in the Chuunin Exams, Sensei. You ought to know that as much as I do. I don't understand your worry. Naruto is more than ready for them. You've trained him that well," Kakashi protested.

"There are dangers in this Exam far greater than those normally faced," Minato grounded out. "Naruto's already caught the interest of an Iwa tea led by none other than Kyougyoku Jin."

Kakashi's eyes widened at the mention of the dangerous Iwa Jounin. Nevertheless, he didn't let that piece of information throw him off.

"I'm sure Sandaime-sama knows the risk. He won't let the Iwa nin get away with much. Naruto should be safe."

"They're in the Exam, Kakashi! What if they try something during it? They can justify any harm done to Naruto as being a part of the test!" Minato fretted.

Sighing, Kakashi ran a hand through his silver hair. "You're worrying over speculations, Sensei. This is Naruto that we're talking about. He'll be fine," he declared.

Minato was getting irritated by Kakashi's callousness. Couldn't he see that Team 7 was in over their heads?

"They're not ready," Minato insisted. "They hardly work as a team unit and that will be their downfall."

"They pull together when it counts, Sensei," Kakashi stated, eye narrowing. "You've seen that for yourself. Now are you going to stop looking at this through the eyes of an overprotective father and start looking at it through the eyes of a shinobi?"

The Yondaime Hokage didn't take those words very well. His eyes turned to chips of ice. "Are you telling me, Kakashi, that you think my ability to make judgments s flawed?"  
"At this moment and time, yes," Kakashi responded bluntly. "I don't need you to tell me what my team is and is not capable of. I'm well aware of their strengths and weaknesses. I already used most of my energy showing Iruka that Team 7 is ready. I don't need to do the same thing with you."

"I can see just fine, Kakashi, and what I see is that Team 7 does not have what it takes to get through this Exam!" Minato yelled. It was a lie. The Exam itself wasn't the problem but Minato knew that if they participated, they would get stuck in the center of the entire Sound-Sand invasion and the Yondaime Hokage didn't want that. It was the war that Minato didn't think they were ready for.

Minato heard a gasp from behind him and turned to see Naruto staring at him with eyes full of hurt and betrayal.

'_Shit… this is going to get messy,_' Kakashi thought to himself, recalling some of Minato and Kushina's legendary arguments.

"We don't have what it takes," Naruto repeated Minato's words as anger overcame the hurt. "Is that really what you think, Tou-san? D you think us so weak that we can't stand up to the other Genin?"

"Damn it, Naruto, that's not it!" the Yondaime Hokage exclaimed, looking frazzled.

"Then tell me, what's going on in that head of yours. You told me ages ago that you thought we were ready for the Chuunin Exams, or was that all a lie to make me feel better? I thought you _believed_ in me, Tou-san!" Naruto exclaimed. The last person he had ever expected to doubt his abilities was Minato. He'd always been Naruto's strongest believer, staying by his side and keeping Naruto's spirits high despite all of the adversity. Hearing him so vehemently say otherwise was a major blow.

"That was before I knew of all of the complications that come with this particular Exam!" the ex-Hokage admitted.

"So that gives you every right to try to dictate the way my life goes? Can't you just trust me? Whatever obstacle comes in our way, I'll crush it. You know I can do it, Tou-san, you know it," Naruto spoke, voice almost pleading. He was desperate for his father's reassurance. The thought that the older blonde didn't have faith in him… Naruto didn't want to accept it.

"Not this time," was the Yellow Flash's grave response.

Pain flared in Naruto's heart as he balled his hands up into fists. He looked down, trying to reign in his emotions without much luck.

"I see…" he finally spoke in a dull voice before turning away from Minato.

"Please understand, Naruto…" the Yondaime began, reaching out for the upset Jinchuuriki.

"I don't want to hear it," Naruto shot back coldly as he subconsciously suppressed the sea enough to draw Minato back in. He couldn't bear to look at his father right now. It hurt too much.

Kakashi watched all of this sadly. '_This time, you were wrong, Sensei. Your overprotective nature came with a price,_' he thought as he reached out for his upset student. "Naruto…" he spoke aloud, clasping a comforting hand on the diminutive boy's shoulder.

Naruto turned to look at Kakashi, normally vibrant blue eyes dim with sadness. This was the closest the Copy Nin had ever seen Naruto get to tears.

Eye softening with compassion, Kakashi wrapped his arms around the boy, offering him the comfort he so desperately needed.

Naruto clung to Kakashi tightly, trembling ever so slightly. Kakashi didn't even make a comment when he felt Naruto's tears wet his jacket.

* * *

Naruto walked through the streets of Konoha, not caring about the fact that he was getting drenched by the heavy rain.

He had gone home after parting ways with Kakashi but the apartment had felt too quiet and empty. He'd been too accustomed to having Minato's presence beside him to quell the loneliness. Feeling stifled, Naruto had left it to wander the streets. Sakuya was following him silently, whimpering as she detected her 'mother's' negative emotions.

Naruto turned to her and gave her a small, half-hearted smile.

"You should go to Shikamaru right now, Sakuya-chan. I'm not a very good playmate right now," he told her, stroking her damp fur gently.

Sakuya just whined and jumped into Naruto's arms. The blonde looked surprised before the expression softened.

"So you want to keep me company, hm? I guess I can handle that," he mused, grateful for her companionship.

"Yare, yare, if it isn't Naru-chan," a voice rang out and Naruto turned to see the three Iwa Genin approaching him.

Clutching Sakuya a little tighter to him, he gave them a wary look. "What do you guys want?" he asked.

"Nothing, really," Daichi responded. "We just thought you looked like you needed some company. You look awfully lonely."

"Thanks for the concern, but I'm fine," Naruto shot back, starting to walk away. The Iwa nin followed.

"Don't be like that, Naru-chan. We just want to be friends," Osamu stated as they all flanked the small blonde.

"Don't call me that!" Naruto snapped angrily. Hearing that nickname made him think of Minato too much.

"Did we hit a nerve?" Michiru asked, not sounding all that repentant. She would have been pretty if it wasn't for the ugly smirk on her face.

"Shut up," Naruto shot back, growing more and more ill-tempered the more time he spent being hounded by the persistent foreigners. "What did I ever do to you guys anyways? You just won't stop bothering me."

"You fascinate us," Daichi remarked, eyeing Naruto in interest. "As I said before, you have very exotic features for a Konoha native."

"It's not that weird," Naruto protested. "Just look at the Yamanakas."

"There's no dispute that blonde hair and blue eyes is a trend for the Yamanaka clan," Osamu agreed. "But you're not a Yamanaka. Besides, your hair is a much more vibrant compared to their platinum blonde color. You are unique."

"Well, I'm not some sort of freak show, so if you don't mind, buzz off!" Naruto scowled, fed up with all of their crap. He just wanted to be left alone. Was that too much to ask?

"Where's the fun in that?" Daichi quipped before glowering at Sakuya, who hadn't stopped growling at the three teammates since they'd begun to hound Naruto. "Your little pet fox is beginning to annoy me." He reached out a hand as if he was going to silence Sakuya himself.

Sakuya bit him, causing the Iwa nin to swear. "Son of a - !" he growled. "That fox of yours doesn't like _anybody_!"

"That's not true," Naruto huffed. "She just doesn't like people I don't like. She likes Shikamaru just fine."

"You mean that pony-tailed boy that the fox came with when we last met?" Michiru inquired. "He looked rather pathetic to me… you actually like the kid?"

"Shikamaru isn't pathetic!" Naruto defended his friend irately.

"You seem quite protective of him," Daichi mused with a malicious smile as he backed Naruto up into a corner. "Do you like him that much? I, frankly, don't think he's worth your attention."

"Oh? You think _you_ are?" Naruto countered with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes," Daichi shot back as he invaded Naruto's personal space. "I do. I could do a whole lot more for you than that loser."

That was when a kunai shot out, grazing Daichi's cheek before lodging itself into the wall next to Naruto's head.

"Get away from the dobe. Now," a familiar voice growled out and the Iwa nin saw an irate Sasuke standing there.

Daichi sneered at Sasuke but he backed away obediently. The Uchiha looked ready to kill him right then and there.

Turning back to Naruto, he smirked. "I guess I'll be seeing you guys at the Chuunin Exams," he stated before he and his teammates made a hasty departure.

Naruto stared at Sasuke, stunned. He hadn't expected _him_ of all people to come to his aid.

"Hn, wipe that look off your face. You look like an idiot," Sasuke told Naruto sharply. "What were you doing out in the rain all alone anyways?"

"I just needed time to think," Naruto admitted. "And I wasn't alone. I had Sakuya-chan with me."

"Like she's adequate protection," Sasuke stated sarcastically. "Those Iwa nin have fixated on your for some odd reason. You need to be careful."

"I don't need you to tell me that," Naruto huffed. "Why does it matter to you? It's not like you care about me."

Sasuke glared at Naruto. "You're my teammate, dobe. It's a given that I'd have to watch over you, stupid as you are. You couldn't do your thinking at home?"

"It was too… empty," Naruto remarked, a bit more sedate, ignoring the slight.

It didn't take much for Sasuke to understand Naruto's feelings. '_He was lonely,_' Sasuke realized. It seemed that despite Naruto's optimistic bravado, his lack of a family to go home to did bother him every once in a while. Despite himself, Sasuke felt a slight bout of kinship with the Jinchuuriki because of that.

"Well, there's no point in you staying out here and catching a cold, usoratonkachi. That's the last thing we need with the Chuunin Exams right around the corner," he stated, beckoning for the blonde to follow him.

'_This place is like a ghost town,_' Naruto thought to himself as he followed Sasuke through the hauntingly empty streets of the Uchiha district. '_How does he handle living here without going insane? What do you think Tou-_'

Naruto broke off that train of thought with a rapid shake of his head. He didn't want to think about his two-faced father at that moment and time.

"Is something wrong, dobe?" Sasuke asked, noticing his odd behavior.

"No," Naruto denied. "I was just thinking, that's all."

"That's a first," Sasuke snorted.

"Shut up!" Naruto retorted with a pout, causing Sasuke to chuckle in amusement. Naruto was so easy to rile up.

"We're here," he announced as they arrived at his home. "Wait here. I'll get you a towel and some dry clothes. You look like you need a hot shower, drenched as you are."

"Thanks," Naruto remarked. It looked like Sasuke had a nice side under all of that arrogance.

Twenty minutes later, Naruto walked out of the bathroom, completely dry and looking like he was drowning in Sasuke's clothes.

He flushed in embarrassment at the amused smirk on Sasuke's face.

"Stop looking at me like that. It's not my fault that your clothes are too big," Naruto sulked.

"You're just very small," Sasuke shot back. "You're one of the tiniest Genin in the village."

"Shut up," the Jinchuuriki complained with a pout. He didn't know why he was so short. It certainly wasn't through Minato's side. His Tou-san was pretty tall.

Naruto faltered once more.

'_Stop thinking about him!_' he reprimanded himself. He hated how much of his life his father seemed to consume.

"You're sulking again," Sasuke commented with a raised eyebrow.

"No I'm not," Naruto denied, looking away from his teammate. Sasuke rolled his eyes at the childish display.

"Just tell me what's bugging you already," Sasuke demanded. "it's getting irritating watching you space out like that for no reason."

Naruto stewed for a moment before finally speaking. "Do you think Kakashi-sensei is right?" he inquired.

"Right about what?" Sasuke replied, sounding confused.

"That we're ready for the Chuunin Exams," Naruto elaborated.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow in incredulity. "I never thought I'd see the day that the ever optimistic Uzumaki Naruto would lose faith in himself."

"It's not that," Naruto denied the seeds of doubt that had been planted by his father's words. "I was just wondering, that's all."

"Then stop wondering," Sasuke stated simply. "Whoever made you think that we weren't ready is an idiot. You know we are."

"I guess you're right," Naruto agreed, letting his doubts fade for the time being. Then he chuckled. "You know something? This is the first time I've heard you talk so much."

"Don't get used to it," Sasuke snorted. "Somebody had to knock some sense back into you, usoratonkachi."

Naruto gave out a dry laugh, looking down at Sakuya, who was currently napping in his lap. "Yeah, I guess you've got a point there."

"Just cheer up, dobe, and leave the brooding to me," Sasuke informed the sedate blonde, causing Naruto to quirk a small, amused smile.

"I can do that," he stated. Maybe Sasuke didn't have a stick up his ass… well, maybe not as big as the one Naruto had imagined at least.

"It's getting late. I'll show you to a guest room," Sasuke declared before the two pre-teen Genin settled for the night.

As Sasuke lay in bed, he couldn't help but smirk. It looked like he'd just taken the first successful step in earning Naruto's trust. If things progressed like he wanted, Naruto would be his in no time…

A/N: Tell me what you think. I tried my best with it, hope I didn't disappoint.

I've got a few plot bunnies. I wanted to know what you guys think of them (debating which ones I should shelve for the time being and which one I can perhaps start bringing to life):

Crossover: Naruto and Digimon Tamers.

13-years ago (around time of the Kyuubi attack) in the Tamers world, Takato gets attacked (after defeating Parasimon) and sent into a different dimension where the Hazard plays interference and changes him into one Umino Iruka

During the Chuunin Exams, Takato gets his memories back

How will he handle being both a Tamer and a shinobi while trying to find a balance between his two identities

Pairing: KakaIru

Crossover: Harry Potter and Naruto

Minato and James Potter were friends in the past

During Harry's fifth year, Minato gets resurrected by Orochimaru and Voldemort's joint efforts; he has no memory and is like their puppet

Naruto and Jiraiya put training mission on hold to go to wizard world and deal with situation

During encounter with Minato, Minato kidnaps Naruto (recognizing his importance to him)

Naruto story

Pairing: NejiNaru

Neji and Naruto go on a mission together to investigate a crime syndicate (or something)

Turns out leader likes blondes (so Naruto disguises himself as Naruko)

Leader ends up being more dangerous than expected, leaving Naruto at his mercy

Neji has to find and save Naruto

So I've got a bit of a rough sketch of them. Tell me what you think. (hoping that at least a couple of them are worth actually writing…)


	15. Before the Storm

I'm back with another chapter. I'm glad I managed this without taking an entire month like the last few times. I hope you like it.

I've finally got a beta for the story too. **Sage of Asgard** helped me out a lot with this chapter and with further plot development.

**Onimaster818**: The story is going to be Shika/Naru. Gaara's relationship with Naruto is fraternal.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

Chapter 14: Before the Storm

Sakura waited impatiently in front of the Ninja Academy, wondering where Sasuke and Naruto were. Pacing slowly back and forth she glanced around. It felt a little unnerving to be standing there all by herself.

"Sakura," she heard a familiar voice call out and she turned to see Sasuke and Naruto approaching her. She blinked owlishly in surprise.

'_They came together?_' she thought to herself. Sakura hadn't thought that they would come within two feet of one another willingly, given their great dislike for each other.

"Were you waiting for us long?" Naruto asked the pink-haired girl with a warm smile.

She shook her head. "Only five minutes," she admitted. "Isn't your house in the other direction, Naruto?"

Naruto looked sheepish and he was about to explain when Sasuke interrupted.

"The dobe got caught in the rain last night. I let him stay over," he explained.

"That's so sweet of you, Sasuke-kun!" Sakura exclaimed, blushing in admiration, subconsciously making plans to watch for the next time it rained.

"Hn," he grunted dismissively while the other boy smirked in amusement.

"Sweet isn't the word I'd use to describe him Sakura-chan," Naruto remarked in a teasing manner.

"Oh shut it, you," Sakura said, smacking Naruto's arm playfully. His grin just grew wider.

'_Those two are getting along better now,_' Sasuke thought to himself before shrugging. "Let's get going, you two. Kakashi said we only have until noon to get there."

"Right," Naruto agreed and they all headed inside, climbing the stairs towards the third floor.

Naruto was more than a little exasperated by the time he and his teammates finally arrived in front of Room 301 where their cyclopean teacher was waiting for them.

They had first come across Kotetsu and Izumo's Genjutsu test, where Sasuke felt he had to open his mouth and ruin the filtration process. It also seemed they had caught the attention of Neji's team, which led to an impromptu match between Sasuke and the energetic Rock Lee.

The entire thing almost made them late, leaving Naruto in a rather irritable mood.

'_If Sasuke had only kept his mouth shut, we would have been here sooner,_' Naruto thought. The boy may have started being a little nicer but he still had some rather irritating qualities. His egotistic obsession to prove the Uchiha clan was superior to all others.

Naruto blinked as he found a hand being waved in front of his face. He turned to Sakura with a confused look. "What?" he questioned.

"You've been spacing out for the last five minutes. You just missed Kakashi-sensei's entire good luck speech," Sakura reprimanded her teammate.

"Oh… sorry," the orange clad ninja apologized for his rudeness.

"It's alright, Naruto… just as long as you remain vigilant during the Exam," Kakashi stated, eyeing the young Jinchuuriki in concern. He really wasn't acting much like himself right now. The Jounin knew why and hated himself for not being able to help the boy through it. This was something that could only be handled by father and son.

"I will be, don't worry," Naruto exclaimed with confidence.

"You guys can go in now," the sensei of Team seven declared and they all headed in before Kakashi pulled Naruto back for a moment.

"Is something wrong, Sensei?" Naruto asked the man curiously.

"I just wanted to know if you were okay, Naruto. I mean… with what happened," Kakashi said, worried for his little brother figure.

Naruto gave him a reassuring look. "I'm fine, nii-san, really, I am," he stated. Kakashi didn't look entirely convinced before he noticed something was missing.

"Where's Sakuya-chan?" he queried, looking for the playful ninja fox.

"I decided not to bring her," Naruto admitted. "She's not yet ready to be used in battle. I haven't trained with her enough. I don't want her to get hurt by anything that may happen here. I left her with Iruka-sensei."

"A wise decision," Kakashi stated. "You've only had her for a month, after all. You may want talk with Kiba after the exams, he may be able to help you."

"You should go visit her," Naruto said. "I'm sure she _and_ Iruka-sensei would enjoy the company." He winked at the man mischievously. Kakashi stared at Naruto with raised eyebrows.

"I guess this means I've got your permission to be with Iruka?" he asked, knowing Naruto wouldn't have given him that hint if he disapproved of his teacher pursuing the gentle Academy teacher.

Naruto nodded. "If you hurt him, I'll get you, nii-san," he vowed, a cold look briefly crossing his face.

"I'll keep that in mind," Kakashi responded with a chuckle. "Now go in there. I've held you back long enough."

Naruto smiled at the silver-haired Jounin before doing as he was told.

It was a little while later that Kakashi realized how Naruto had manipulated him into changing the subject a small smile slipped onto his face.

When Naruto entered the room, the first thing he took notice of was his teammates' dumbstruck faces. He followed their gazes and saw all of the Genin that were participating in the Exam. He whistled. There sure were a lot.

'_There wouldn't be if Sasuke hadn't ruined the other test,_' Naruto thought to himself, rolling his eyes.

"So you guys finally got here," Shikamaru drawled as he, Ino and Chouji approached Team 7. The blonde Genin instantly latched herself onto Sasuke, much to Sakura's irritation.

"We had a few setbacks," Naruto explained, smiling at his friends, flushing ever so slightly as he stared at the pony-tailed Genin. This was the first time they'd seen each other since Shikamaru had kissed him.

The genius smirked as he noticed the blush on the petit blonde. He was about to approach him when Gaara appeared between them in a swirl of sand.

"Uzumaki Naruto," his deadpan voice addressed the blonde. "You're late."

Naruto looked sheepish. "So it would seem," he admitted. "Have you slept well recently?"

Gaara nodded and Naruto knew if it had been anyone else, he would have been smiling.

"I still don't know how those two ended up being friends," Ino muttered in the background. "They're nothing alike."

"Not according to them. If you recall, Gaara said that Naruto was like him… and Naruto said they had a lot in common," Shikamaru pointed out, a little put out that Gaara had gotten in the way when he'd been trying to flirt with the foxy blonde.

"I don't see it," Chouji said, sounding puzzled.

"Me neither," Sakura agreed, eyeing the two conversing Jinchuuriki.

"Yahoo! We found ya!" Kiba cheered as he, Hinata and Shino approached the other rookie Genin. "It looks like everyone is here."

Naruto's eyes softened as he saw Hinata and beckoned her over. He'd missed talking to her.

"It's been forever, Hinata-chan!" he exclaimed. "How have you been?"

"I'm fine, Naruto-kun. How about you?" Hinata asked with a small smile.

"I'm… great," Naruto stated, although it sounded a little forced. This didn't go unnoticed by his companions. Hinata looked concerned but Naruto quickly diverted her attention. "I haven't introduced you to Gaara yet, Hinata-chan! He's my new friend!"

Hinata turned to Gaara and smiled at him shyly. "It's nice to meet you, Gaara-kun," she greeted the taciturn redhead with a polite bow.

Gaara nodded in acknowledgement, noting how much Naruto seemed to care for her through his behavior around her.

"You're friends with a Suna nin, Naruto?" Kiba asked incredulously. There was something very weird about this Gaara kid. Akamaru didn't seem to like him very much…

"Yeah, is there something wrong with it?" Naruto asked, noticing the wary look Kiba was sending Gaara's way.

The dog user shook his head. "Not really. I was just wondering," he stated, keeping his thoughts to himself. He then turned to Sasuke. "All nine of us Rookies are here in this exam. I wonder how far we'll get."

"You seem awfully confident, Kiba," Sasuke responded with a cocky smirk.

"We've trained a lot. We won't lose to you guys," Kiba boasted.

"We'll see," Naruto shot back with a determined glint. His team _would_ make it through the Chuunin Exams. This time, Naruto wasn't trying to prove himself just to the village… but to his own father, who mattered more to him than the entire village as a whole.

"You guys should be quieter," an unfamiliar voice rang out and the group turned to see a silver-haired Genin with glasses approaching them.

Something about the guy rubbed Naruto the wrong way and a quick look at Gaara proved that the redhead felt the same way.

"You guys are just out of the Academy, right?" the guy asked, grunting in annoyance. "Screaming like girls… this isn't a picnic."

"Who are you anyways?" Ino asked with a small frown.

"I'm Yakushi Kabuto. More importantly, look behind you," he pointed.

The group turned to see all of the aspiring Chuunin-to-be glowering at all of them.

"They're all nervous about this Exam and rather short-tempered. You guys should be careful and not make a scene," Kabuto advised. "But I guess I can't blame you. You don't know any better. You kind of remind me of how I'd been when I first took this Exam."

"So this is your second time, Kabuto-san?" Sakura questioned.

He shook his head. "No, it's my seventh time. The Exam occurs every six months, meaning this is my fourth year," he declared almost sounding proud.

"So you must know a lot about this Exam," Sakura realized.

"That's right," Kabuto smirked, pushing his glasses up on his face as he took out a deck of cards. "I'll share some information with you cute rookies… with these nin-info cards."

'_That's awfully generous of him,_' Naruto thought with a frown as Kabuto proceeded to explain who was participating in the Exam and from what countries.

"Do you have any information on individuals?" Sasuke asked Kabuto with a look of interest.

"So there are already people that have caught your eye?" Kabuto asked with a smirk. "I can do it. The information's not perfect, but I have it. I even have information about you guys. So tell me who you're interested in."

"Subaku no Gaara, Rock Lee, Tanaka Daichi and… Uzumaki Naruto," Sasuke listed off.

Gaara glowered at Sasuke for daring to mention his name while Naruto looked at his teammate incredulously for wanting information on him.

"You already know their names? That makes this easy," Kabuto smirked as he brought up the cards in question.

"We'll start off with Rock Lee. He's a year older than all of you. Mission History: Twenty D-ranks and twelve C-ranks. His teacher is Maito Gai. In terms of skill, his Taijutsu is quite impressive, but that's pretty much it. He could have taken the Exam last year but he didn't, meaning that this is his first time alongside his teammates Hyuuga Neji and TenTen," Kabuto gave out information about the green-spandex wearing Genin.

"He doesn't seem all that impressive to me," Kiba commented with a raised eyebrow.

"You should have seen him fight," Naruto stated. "Then you'd be singing a different tune."

"Next is Subaku no Gaara," Kabuto began and everyone instantly glanced at the stoic boy.

"Hn," he grunted, his uncaring manor belying the interest his eyes held.

"Mission History: eight C-ranks and… and a B-rank. That's impressive," Kabuto remarked. "Since he's from a different country, I don't have much information on him but I can say this much. He came back from all those missions without a single scratch."

"Not even one?" Chouji exclaimed, staring at Gaara in shock. He hadn't expected the Suna Genin to be _that_ good. He quickly looked away when Gaara glared at him.

"Moving on, Tanaka Daichi. He's also a year older than you guys. Mission History: Twenty-five D-ranks, ten C-ranks, and a B-rank. Not bad… His Ninjutsu and Taijutsu are pretty well developed while his Genjutsu is about average. He'll be a challenge for sure," Kabuto mused. "Last but not least, our little Uzumaki Naruto over there."

"I'm not little," Naruto huffed, crossing his arms, trying to glare fiercely.

"Yes you are," almost all of the Rookies chorused together.

"Humph!" Naruto complained, pouting cutely, unaware of Shikamaru and Sasuke's very interested looks at the endearing expression. Gaara, however, was aware of it, and glared at them, forcing them to look away from the blonde.

'_Che, the guy's only known Naruto a few days and he's already possessive of him,_' Shikamaru grumbled to himself.

Naruto would have normally been worried about people getting information about him, but given his choice to keep his real strength well hidden, he knew his file was protected, thanks to the number of secrets that surrounded Naruto's life. He just wondered what they would actually see…

When Kabuto's face turned incredulous, Naruto's curiosity grew even more.

"Uzumaki Naruto… Thirteen-years old, blonde-haired, blue-eyed, and… single. Anyone interested in him… feel free to fight for his affections," Kabuto read out loud, shocking everyone.

"Nani?" Naruto yelped, turning fire truck red, making a good impression of his mother's infamous nickname. He most certainly hadn't expected _that_ to be the diversionary information.

He glanced around and sweat-dropped as he saw Shikamaru, Sasuke, Daichi and a few other Genin leering at him.

'_I know I wanted people to acknowledge me… but not like this!_' Naruto thought to himself with a grimace.

Thankfully, Gaara quelled all thoughts people had of making good the suggestion. "Come near him and die," he said threateningly.

People instantly averted their eyes, sensing Gaara's killing intent.

"Thanks," a flustered Naruto whispered to Gaara. He got a nod in response.

"That can't seriously be what it says on that card," Ino frowned, taking the card from Kabuto and then gaping like a fish as she saw that those words were actually on it. "Your information is seriously screwed up!"

"I don't know what went wrong," Kabuto stated as he tried to get information on Naruto again, only to get the same message. He frowned. '_This is being done on purpose. Someone wants to make sure that no information about Uzumaki Naruto can be seen by unauthorized eyes. Orochimaru-sama will want to know about this._' he thought to himself.

"Forget it then," Sasuke said, irritated that he couldn't get any valuable information about his enigmatic teammate.

"Very well then," Kabuto agreed. "Konoha, Suna, Ame, Kusa, Taki, Iwa, Oto… there are many amazing Genin here to take the Exam. While Oto is still a small Hidden Village with very little information about it, the other villages have many talented Genin."

"It kind of makes you lose your confidence," Hinata admitted, looking nervous.

"This isn't going to be easy," Sakura agreed.

Seeing how disheartened all of the Rookies were getting over the difficult odds, Naruto just couldn't stay quiet.

So he stepped forward, pointed at all of the Genin rudely and spoke out. "My name is Uzumaki Naruto and I won't lose to any of you bastards!" he yelled out, brimming with confidence. "You got that?"

* * *

'_That's Naruto for you,_' Kakashi thought, shaking his head, having been previously worried over how his team must be feeling. '_He's just like his mother…_'

* * *

"That felt great," Naruto sighed in relief, seemingly oblivious to all of the glares being directed his way.

"Izou-kun's got guts," Osamu remarked from where he was sitting, eyeing the vivacious blond. "That wasn't very smart though…"

"No, it was a smart move," Daichi countered, earning curious looks from his teammates. "Do you see his friends? Before he spoke, they all looked nervous and almost disheartened. After he spoke, they all got their confidence back. He did that to help them, even if it made him out to be the sacrificial lamb."

"This guy… is strange," Kankuro told his sister, eyeing the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki that had somehow changed Gaara overnight. "Doesn't he have any survival instincts?"

"Who knows?" was her simple response.

"He's still so optimistic," Neji sneered, eyeing Naruto with distaste. "You didn't beat him down enough, Lee."

"Are you an idiot?" Sakura freaked out over Naruto's actions. "You just made everyone your enemy!"

'_Sounds like something Naruto would do,_' Shikamaru thought to himself, amused.

Sakura was about apologize to everyone for Naruto's 'stupidity' when the Oto nin that looked like a mummy suddenly lunged forward and attacked Kabuto.

The Rookies could only watch as while it appeared that Kabuto had dodged the attack, he still was affected as he sank to his knees, vomiting rather violently.

"But he dodged it! How the hell did that happen?" Kiba exclaimed in shock.

"Are you alright, Kabuto-san?" Ino asked as she and Sakura rushed over to his side.

"I'm fine," he reassured them as he regained his bearings.

As everyone was puzzling over how Kabuto got hit, there was a burst of smoke and a stern voice rang out.

"Quiet down, you worthless cunts!"

Everyone turned towards the smoke and when it cleared, they saw a harsh-looking man with plenty of scars standing there amongst all of the other Exam proctors.

"There will be no fighting before the Exam has begun. If you try again, you will be disqualified immediately," the man declared to the Oto nin, glaring at them for their show of aggression.

"Sorry, we got a little over eager. This is our first Chuunin Exam, you see," the mummy-like Genin apologized insincerely his smile clear even through his face wraps.

"My name is Morino Ibiki and I'm going to be the proctor for the first Exam, so you maggots better be ready!"

'_It looks like things are going to get interesting fast,_' Naruto thought as he saw the first Examiners begin to get set up.

His thoughts fell to his father. '_We'll ace these Exams, Tou-san. Just you wait and see. I'll prove you wrong,_' he vowed to himself.


	16. The First Test

I'm really sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. Good thing is that I've finally got the Exam-from-Hell out of the way. So, hopefully, I'll be able to formulate the next chapter sooner.

**Corselli**: Minato is back in the seal, but he's unable to converse with Naruto or materialize, because Naruto's blocking him for the time being. He's still there.

**Afira**: I knew I was forgetting something in the last update. I'd meant to show what 'Izou' meant. **Izou** means **legacy**.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto. Unfortunately.

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: The First Test

"It's time to take the first test," Ibiki told all of the Genin. "Come up here and take a tab. It will tell you where you are supposed to be seated. After that the tests will be handed out."

"A paper test?" Naruto murmured to himself while Sakura glanced at him worriedly. Naruto wasn't good with written tests, at least, that was the way it had seemed while they were in the Academy. She wondered why he didn't seem as worried as she expected him to be.

As everyone took their assigned seats, Naruto found himself sitting between Hinata and Daichi.

"Fancy meeting you here," Daichi whispered silkily. "It must be fate that we're sitting next to each other."

"Not likely," Naruto snorted. "Just a bad stroke of luck."

"You wound me, Izou-kun," Daichi said in a mock hurt tone.

"Don't mess with me, bastard. I don't have the patience for this," Naruto hissed in anger.

Daichi was about to say something when a kunai shot out and lodged itself on the desk top between them.

"There will be no talking during this Exam," Ibiki said sharply and Daichi thankfully backed off.

Ibiki then proceeded to go over the rules of the tests and with each rule, the setting grew more and more tense. Finally, a smirking Ibiki began to list the rules.

"First rule. You get ten points. Each one you get wrong costs you a point. Lose all ten and you fail. Second rule. This is a team event. Passing means you need a combined score of no less than eighteen. Third rule. If you are caught cheating, and let me add you _will_ be. You lose two points. And the fourth and final rule, if even one of you loses all your points, your whole team fails along with you. Good luck." The man's grin at the examinee's faces could rival that of hungry shark.

Naruto could feel Sasuke's glare and Sakura's worried look. It was like they didn't believe he could pull this off.

Glancing over the questions, Naruto noticed that they were indeed hard but the would-be Hokage had resources most people didn't.

'_Kyuu-chan?_' he called out tentatively. He hoped the kitsune would answer. She hadn't spoken a word since he and Minato had argued. Naruto was getting worried that she was mad at him.

'**I could never be mad at you, Naruto,**' Kyuubi reassured the blonde child. He visibly relaxed at the sound of her voice.

'_You were so quiet… I got scared._' Naruto confided.

~**I had just wanted to give you a little space,**' Kyuubi told him. '**I thought that if I spoke up, you would think I was trying to side with your father.**'

'_Kyuu-chan is Kyuu-chan. You have your opinions. He has his,_' Naruto stated. '_I wouldn't shut you out just because of our argument._'

'**That's good to know,**' Kyuubi replied, sounding relieved. '**And Naruto… do try to forgive your father. He's an idiot, but he was just worried about you.**'

Naruto remained silent for a few moments. He knew that too, but the hurt was still too much for him to let go. He'd address the situation later.

He heard Kyuubi sigh. '**Very well, I'll leave the matter alone,**' she conceded. '**What was it that you wanted to talk to me about?**'

Naruto was about to speak up when he felt something wrap around his hand and guide it, and the pencil held in his grip, to the test. Snapping out of his mindscape, he saw a small vine wrapped around his hand, guiding it as answers were slowly scribbled down onto his test page.

'_Nani?_' he thought to himself in confusion before turning to the source of the vine. The green appendage was coming from the wrist of a certain Tanaka Daichi, who was smirking as he stared at him through the corner of his eye.

"What's the deal?" he hissed out quietly as the vine finally retracted as it finished helping him answer the ninth question.

"I thought that you could use a little help, Izou-kun," Daichi responded in a whisper. "It wouldn't be any fun if you were knocked out of the running so early in the game."

"How kind of you," Naruto spat out scathingly, through gritted teeth. Daichi simply chuckled.

"It amuses me to see you play hard to get," he drawled as more vines came out of his arm, slowly slithering across the floor.

Naruto jolted as he felt two of them crawl up his leg, while another wrapped itself around his waist. He glared daggers at Daichi.

"What the hell are you doing?" he yelped as quietly as possible, scrambling to get the vines off of him without causing too much of a scene.

"Just having a little fun," the Iwa nin responded as innocently as he could.

Hinata eyed Naruto in concern. She didn't like how Daichi was tormenting her friend. "Naruto-kun, do you need help?" she whispered quietly.

Naruto was quick to calm Hinata's worries. "I'm fine, Hinata-chan. I can handle this jerk," he assured her before using his wind chakra to sever the vines. They went lax, much to Naruto's relief, but only for a moment.

Naruto's eyes widened in horror as said severed vines came back to life, now free of the limitations produced from being bound to Daichi.

"Knock it off," he hissed as he tried to subtly remove the wriggling vines. It quickly became too hard to try to do this without getting noticed.

The more he cut them up, the more vines there were crawling along his body and the more Naruto grew frustrated.

Daichi just observed him with an irritatingly smug smile on his face.

Hinata frowned at him with as much contempt as she could muster; eyeing the vines using her byakugan. She wanted to help Naruto but she girl feared that if she tried to knock the vines out using her juuken that she would accidentally hit Naruto instead. She didn't want to hurt him.

Naruto was close to lose any self-restraint he had when, thankfully, sand started to seep into his clothing, wrapping around each and every vine. His eyes fell on Gaara, who was eyeing them subtly, and then he saw Gaara's hand close. Instantly, the vines stopped moving.

Naruto let out a breath of relief, mouthing a thank you to his red-haired friend, who nodded at him in acknowledgement after sending a death glare at Daichi.

Daichi pouted as he saw his fun was ruined but he didn't dare mess with Naruto with Gaara watching his every move.

Naruto sighed. It looked like the worst was over for now. All that was left to do was handle the tenth question. He hoped it would come soon… he was currently feeling very, very disgusted with the mixture of sand and crushed vines lingering under his clothes and on his skin.

He busied himself scribbling something down on the back of his test. He concealed the message with a seal. He smirked, wishing he could be able to see the Sandaime Hokage's face when he unearthed the message…

When it was finally forty-five minutes into the test, Ibiki finally spoke up.

"Before we get to it," he told them. "There will be a new rule."

There was a collective groan amongst the Genin. As if the other rules hadn't been bad enough.

"Call them the rules of desperation if you want." the torture and investigation specialist's grin only continued to grow. "First of all, you must decide whether you want to take this question or not."

"Why would we not take it?" Temari inquired.

"If you choose not to take it, your points will go to zero and you will fail," Ibiki stated.

"Then of course we would take the question!" another Genin exclaimed hotly.

"The next rule… if you take the question and answer incorrectly, that person will never be able to take the Chuunin Exams again. The same goes for his or her team," Ibiki allowed the information to sink in.

There was an immediate uproar.

"What kind of rule is that?" Kiba yelled. "There are guys who have taken this Exam before!"

Ibiki just smirked sadistically. "That would make you guys the unlucky ones, because this year, you have to deal with me and my rules."

This caused a huge deal of distress among the Genin. They didn't know what to do.

"I'm giving you an escape, however," the interrogator added, like an afterthought. "Those who choose not to take the question will be able to take the Exam again at a later date."

'_Both choices are bad,_' Sakura thought with a small frown.

"Those who don't want to take the question, raise your hand," Ibiki said. "Once your number is confirmed, you can leave."

'_This is one hell of a gamble,_' Naruto thought to himself, looking pensive. What should he do…? What would his Tou-san say? He shook his head violently. '_Stop thinking about him!_' he scolded himself.

All around him, people were beginning to raise their hands as they lacked the confidence to take the risks that came with the question. That by itself seemed to add to the pressure for those who chose to stay behind.

"So what are you going to do, Izou-kun?" Daichi whispered. "Are you going to take it or not? Do you really have what it takes?"

Naruto tried to ignore Daichi's taunting but the Iwa nin kept at it, until Naruto finally could take no more.

"DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, startling everybody. "I'm not going to run away! I'll take it! Even if I have to stay a Genin forever! That's not going to change the fact that I'm going to be Hokage one day. You can bet on that!"

The entire room was dead silent after that. No one knew quite what to think of Naruto's outburst.

'_That's just like Naruto,_' Sakura thought with a small smile. She should have expected he would react like this.

"I'll ask you again. Your entire life rides on this decision. This is your last chance to quit," Ibiki warned Naruto.

"I don't take back my words," Naruto said stubbornly. "That's my nindo."

Ibiki scanned the entire room, seeing how everyone that remained was now confident. '_He wiped away all of their doubts. This kid is something else,_' he thought to himself.

"Everybody that is still here… I congratulate you on passing the first test!" he declared, causing all of the Genin to gape in shock.

Fifteen minutes later, after Anko's ridiculous entrance, she had led the Genin away for the next test; Ibiki was collecting all of the papers when he came across Naruto's. The seal array on the back caught his attention. Above it were the words:

_For the Hokage's eyes only._

'_I wonder what that kid's up to,_' Ibiki pondered, deciding he'd go see the Sandaime after he collected all of the tests. He wondered what Naruto was going to tell the old man.

* * *

"What are you doing?" Shikamaru asked Naruto as the boy unintentionally gave everyone a show as he frantically tried to rid himself of all the lingering sand and vines that stuck to him. He'd already taken off his jacket and was scrambling to get his shirt off when Shikamaru forced it down.

"I feel disgusting!" Naruto complained, shuddering. "I want to get this grime off of me!"

Shikamaru's eyes fell on the sand that was slowly falling off of Naruto due to his frantic movements. "How did you end up like this anyways? We were inside," he queried.

"Blame Mr. Tall, Dark, and Creepy over there," Naruto retorted, gesturing at Daichi, who was standing with his teammates. "He freaking tried to molest me with those stupid vines of his!"

Shikamaru looked sharply at Daichi upon hearing that statement. He hadn't thought that the Iwa nin would go so far to mess with Naruto.

Daichi met his eyes and smirked maliciously.

A flash of anger went through Shikamaru at Daichi's shamelessness but he was smart enough to realize that the other Genin was trying to bait him. He didn't rise to the occasion.

"You should be more careful around him," Shikamaru told Naruto firmly.

"I'm well aware of that," Naruto shot back as he finally shook loose the sand and vines from under his shirt. As he was doing so, Shikamaru noticed a strange outline under the shirt and he traced it back to the chain that Naruto had around his neck.

He placed his hand over the protruding object. He frowned. "Is that a kunai?" he asked, tracing it. It was too oddly shaped to be an ordinary kunai…

He backed away startled as Naruto smacked his hand away. "Don't touch that," the blonde said sharply, closing a hand over the blade protectively.

"What is that, Naruto?" Shikamaru pressed, curiosity peaked.

"A gift," was Naruto's simple reply. He wasn't going to show the three-pronged kunai… not even to Shikamaru.

"A gift," Shikamaru repeated. Given how protective Naruto was being as unforthcoming about it as he was about his mysterious guardian angel.

Speaking of that angel…

'_Shouldn't this guardian have helped Naruto when he was being harassed? Before, whenever someone was bothering Naruto for the slightest thing, the guardian would act up. It happened even when Naruto and Sasuke accidentally kissed. Why wouldn't it help Naruto when the Iwa nin was messing with him?_' Shikamaru frowned. It just didn't add up. Then a thought came to him. He hadn't felt the presence around Naruto since the day before. '_Is the guardian… gone?_'

Shikamaru didn't know much about the guardian angel except for the fact that he protected Naruto almost fanatically. The only reason that he wouldn't be doing that right now was if he wasn't there. That meant Naruto was vulnerable. Naruto is strong, Shikamaru knew that, but it had always been a reassurance to him to know that no matter what, Naruto would be safe, even when he was in over his head.

"Where is he?" he asked Naruto straight out. The blonde looked at the lazy genius with a raised eyebrow.

"Where is who?" he shot back, not sure what the Nara was talking about.

"Your guardian," Shikamaru explained. "Where did he go? He's always with you, but he's not now. Where is he?"

Naruto's eyes hardened for a moment before his face went blank. He looked completely and utterly detached.

Now Shikamaru was even more worried than before.

"He's gone," Naruto responded. Shikamaru blinked. He'd half expected Naruto to deny that he even had a guardian.

"I can sense that," the genius of Team 10 commented. "But where… and why?"

"Where he went is none of your business," Naruto shot back. "And as for why… it's because I sent him away."

"Why?" Shikamaru pressed. "He protected you. He would have kept you safe."

Naruto exploded.

"Oh, so I'm incapable of protecting myself?" he snarled angrily. Shikamaru recoiled as if struck.

"No, that's not what I meant!" Shikamaru tried to defend himself. He wasn't worried about Naruto's ability to hold his own in a fight. He was more worried that something like what had just happened with Daichi would happen again.

"Oh, really?" Naruto snorted. "That's what it sounded like to me! Guardian or no guardian, I'm perfectly capable of defending myself, from any threat. I don't need you or my To-…" He broke off immediately. He was letting his emotions get the better of him.

"Your what, Naruto?" Shikamaru questioned. The word that had been coming out of Naruto's mouth hadn't been guardian, that's for sure. The boy had almost spilled the real relationship between him and the angel.

"Just… leave me alone, Shikamaru," Naruto stated before stomping off.

Shikamaru tried to go after him but found his path blocked by none other than Gaara.

"I believe Naruto told you to leave him alone," the Suna nin declared with narrowed eyes. "It would be in your greater interest to honor his wishes."

Shikamaru opened his mouth to argue but when he saw the sand around Gaara's feet begin to stir restlessly, he shut it. He wasn't going to get anywhere at the moment. He'd have to let the matter go… for now.

One thing was certain… something had happened between Naruto and his guardian. Something that was big enough to make Naruto force the guardian away from him. Shikamaru was determined to find out what that was. This was the reason that Naruto was so upset… and he was certain that Naruto wouldn't be happy again until the situation was resolved.

"Are you alright, Naruto?" Sakura asked the blonde, sounding concerned. She could tell how agitated he had become talking to Shikamaru.

"I'm fine," the hidden Namikaze reassured her. "We just had a small disagreement, that's all."

"About what?" she pressed.

"I'd rather not talk about it," Naruto said. Sakura looked uncertain about letting it go, but seeing the dim look in Naruto's eyes made her respect his wishes. Now wasn't the time to try to figure out what was wrong with her normally vivacious friend. She knew it would only make him push her away.

'_There seems to be trouble in paradise._' Sasuke thought, secretly pleased. Not only was Naruto shunning his own guardian, but now he was upset with Shikamaru as well. It looked like things may be shifting into his favor faster than he thought.

* * *

"Did you want something?" the Sandaime asked Ibiki when he entered his office.

"I believe there's something for you to see," the interrogator told the Hokage, handing him Naruto's test paper. "That Uzumaki boy left this for you."

Sarutobi frowned as he saw the seal. He hadn't been aware that Naruto knew anything about Fuuinjutsu. He couldn't be learning it by himself. It was a difficult topic and it was risky to be learning it without supervision. He doubted Kakashi could have taught Naruto much on the subject. He was no master of it himself. Jiraiya hadn't been in Konoha for ages… so how did Naruto start learning it?

Pushing that thought aside for a moment, he unlocked the seal, curious to see what message lay underneath it. What he saw, however, made him freeze in disbelief.

_I am Namikaze Naruto._


	17. A ShortLived Reunion

I'm really sorry that it took so long with this chapter. I really thought that with that big pain-in-the-ass exam out of the way, I would have more time to write, when instead, an even more annoying obstacle came in my way. I hope this chapter meets expectations.

**Dhh**: … I really don't know how you've come up with your conclusions about the last chapter. I don't see any reason that there was a reason to rant on about the Third and how he's dislikable. And, how in the world did you come up with the idea that Naruto was _scared_ of Sakura. There was nothing in the chapter that even hinted to that. He just told her to leave him alone for the time being.

: You don't have to worry about me stopping writing. It will be a long time before I do. This happens to be one of my favorite stories to write (hence why I've been focusing on it over my other stories *sheepish*). Sorry I took so long this time too (you can blame medical school applications if you like *bane of my existence, they are*). I'll try to update more frequently. And thanks for giving me your longest review. In return, I give you my longest response back, XD.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto. If I did, Sasuke would be dead.

* * *

Chapter Sixteen: A Short-Lived Reunion

Kakashi watched fondly as Iruka played with Sakuya. It really was nice seeing a shinobi who expressed his emotions so freely. It was something Kakashi had lost the ability to do a long time ago…

"You really like Sakuya-chan, don't you?" Kakashi suddenly asked the brunette. Iruka smiled up at him from where he knelt.

"That I do," he agreed. "She reminds me a lot of Naruto. She's even as energetic as he is."

"I'm not too surprised," Kakashi remarked. "You know, she honestly thinks Naruto is her mother."

Iruka laughed loudly at that and Kakashi found that he loved it. He'd have to remember to make Iruka laugh more.

"It just figures that something like that would happen to Naruto," the Academy teacher mused. "The most interesting things always happen to that boy."

"There's no denying that," Kakashi agreed.

"So if Naruto's Sakuya's mother, I suppose that makes you her doting uncle," Iruka stated teasingly.

"I suppose so," Kakashi mused before giving Iruka a teasing smile. "And it would make you her oh-so-lovely aunt."

Iruka flushed and punched Kakashi playfully. "I'm a man, not a woman!" he protested against the designation.

"And Naruto's a boy, not a girl," Kakashi said. "That doesn't seem to matter to Sakuya-chan."

"You're impossible to argue against, you know that?" Iruka grumbled. "You have a counter for everything."

"That's a part of my charm," Kakashi joked, causing Iruka to chuckle once more.

They were distracted as they heard a low cough come from behind them. The two shinobi turned around to see an ANBU officer standing behind them.

"Can we help you?" Kakashi asked the other ninja curiously.

"Hokage-sama wishes to speak with you, Hatake-san," the ANBU's respectful tone spoke volumes.

"About what?" Kakashi asked, slightly confused.

"I believe he wishes to speak to you about one of your students… An Uzumaki Naruto?" the other ANBU responded.

"I'll come right away," Kakashi said, looking serious. He bid Iruka good bye and then quickly followed the ANBU to the Hokage's office.

He grew weary as he saw the solemn expression on the Sandaime's face.

"Is something wrong, Hokage-sama?" Kakashi asked once he was alone with the elder man.

"This is Naruto's test paper," Sarutobi spoke as he handed the paper to the masked Jounin.

"Naruto answered every question correctly. I don't see why I needed to be summoned for this," Kakashi said flatly.

"Look on the other side," the Hokage stated, rubbing his temples. He looked more stressed than normal.

'_What did Naruto do?_' Kakashi wondered to himself as he flipped the page. His eyes widened. '_Damn it, otouto! Why do you have to be so impulsive?_'

"Tell me, Kakashi-san… how does Naruto know of his heritage? I didn't tell him and there is no way that Jiraiya could have. You are the only person left who could have told him," Sarutobi said.

'_There's one more person… the boy's father who the Shinigami has prevented from moving on,_' he thought to himself. He wouldn't tell the Hokage about Naruto and Minato's unique situation yet. That was Naruto's job. "I felt like he was ready for his birthright," he simply said. That didn't please Sarutobi.

"Damn it, Kakashi!" Sarutobi snapped. "The boy is only thirteen years old! How could you possibly think he was ready for something as big as this?"

"He deserves to know who his parents are! With all of the crap he's been put through in this village, I felt he needed something to tie him to this village. He has every right to know that people love him… that his parents _didn't_ abandon him like the villagers make him believe. I'm sorry that I had to disobey your orders to do this but I just couldn't stand seeing my sensei's son so miserable!" Kakashi retorted vehemently. It may not have actually happened like that but Kakashi had long been debating telling Naruto of his heritage long before he had learned that Minato still lingered in the living plane.

The Sandaime Hokage was stunned by the level of emotion in Kakashi's voice. Seeing the normally stoic Jounin act this way gave the Hokage an idea of just how strongly Kakashi felt about the subject matter.

He sighed. He really couldn't fault the masked man for doing what he did. He only fought for his beliefs. However, it had still been a risky move.

"I can understand your sentiments, Kakashi-san but one must not let their emotions compromise the safety of anyone in this village. I'll let you go for now but if any harm befalls Naruto due to his knowledge of his family, you will be held responsible," the aged leader declared.

"I understand, Hokage-sama," the Copy Nin replied, bowing curtly. '_You better appreciate this, Naruto…_'

* * *

Team Seven dashed through the Forest of Death, wary of potential assailants.

'_It's time to do a little scouting,_' Naruto thought to himself. "I have to go to the bathroom," he announced out loud. "I'll be back in a flash."

"Don't take too long," Sasuke said gruffly as Naruto scurried off.

Once Naruto was a good distance away, he produced a group of Kage Bunshin.

"You know what to do," he told the clones. They nodded and they separated, going in different directions.

He returned to his team just in time to see Sasuke skillfully fend off an Ame nin.

"What's going on?" he demanded as he walked out of the nearby trees.

"You took too long. That bastard disguised himself as you and tried to take our scroll," Sasuke scowled.

"Not that he could fool Sasuke's eyes," Sakura stated dreamily.

Naruto shook his head. Sakura may be doing her best to be nicer to him but her silly crush on Sasuke still remained strong.

"We should get moving," Naruto suggested. There would still be a little time before his Kage Bunshin collected any scrolls.

They walked in silence for a while, after discussing a lengthy password that they could use to know if somebody else had replaced their teammates after they had been separated.

Naruto was more than a little relieved when he got notice that some of his clones had struck gold and collected a few scrolls, a couple of each, just in case.

They had all gathered together and sealed them in a tree that awaited Naruto on their path towards the Tower.

'_We're all set,_' Naruto thought to himself, relieved, a small smile slipping onto his face.

"What's got you so happy dead-last?" Sasuke demanded.

"Nothing in particular," Naruto responded nonchalantly. "I just felt like smiling. You should try it sometimes." The sarcasm was heavy on his voice.

Sasuke just scoffed. That was a useless piece of advice. "I find it hard to believe that you can smile right now, given your situation," he sneered.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked, slightly puzzled.

Sasuke fixed him with a pointed look. "You're fighting with your guardian angel, aren't you?"

The smile was instantly wiped off Naruto's face, much to Sasuke's sadistic pleasure.

"That's not any of your business, teme," Naruto scowled, eyes narrowing. "It's between me and him."

Sasuke was about to press Naruto further when a massive blast of wind burst through the clearing they were standing in. Naruto was blown away from his team, having been unprepared and unable to brace himself properly thanks to his anger.

"What was that?" Sakura wondered once the wind had stopped. Scanning the area, she noticed something was amiss. "Where's Naruto gone this time?"

"Right here," 'Naruto' called out, climbing out of the bushes.

"Are you alright?" Sakura queried in concern.

"I'm fine," Naruto insisted, hiding a malicious smirk. '_Just wait, Sasuke-kun… I'll have you in my grasp soon enough…_'

For a moment, his eyes seemed to take on a yellow gleam.

* * *

"Ugh…" Naruto groaned, rubbing his head. He'd bounced off a tree as he'd been swept away, leaving him feeling rather groggy.

It took him a moment before his vision had completely cleared but when it did, he came face to face with a rather large snake.

"Ah, shit…" he swore just as it swallowed him.

He groaned in disgust as he soon found himself in the slimy confines of the snake's digestive tract.

'_How the hell do I get out of here?_' he wondered to himself before an idea stuck him. He started channeling wind chakra, condensing it around his body before releasing it all in one focused instant, slicing the snake into pieces.

He landed hard on the ground, coughing and gagging from the nasty experience.

He jumped ever so slightly as he felt an arm wrap around him protectively as the other patted his back soothingly until he had stopped coughing.

He was pulled into a warm embrace, almost falling into a daze from feeling of safety that came over him, and from the hand that ran through his hair; slowly combing out all of the muck that had lodged there from Naruto's stay within the snake. Looking up, he met the worried eyes of his father.

"Are you alright?" Minato asked, eyes scanning Naruto for any sign of injuries. Naruto almost smirked at the familiar sight of Minato's overprotective tendencies. He doubted his father would ever rid himself of those habits.

"I'm fine," Naruto commented. "I'm just severely grossed out." He shuddered for good measure, making Minato chuckle in amusement.

"I can't blame you," he responded. "I'd feel the same if I'd just been swallowed by a snake."

"You wouldn't get eaten by a snake. You're way too fast for that," Naruto retorted.

"True," Minato admitted and they both ended up laughing.

However, once they had stopped, a rather awkward silence took its place.

The two just stared at each for a few moments before they spoke, simultaneously.

"I'm sorry!" they blurted

The father and son faltered and smiled sheepishly.

"I know I hurt you when I said you weren't ready for this Exam… but it wasn't the Genin I thought you weren't ready to face," Minato explained.

Naruto frowned in confusion. "But who else but the Genin would be here?" he questioned.

"Think back to what Gaara told us and about that snake that attacked you," the Hokage urged Naruto on.

The orange clad boy's eyes narrowed in thought before realization struck him. "Orochimaru! You thought he would attack us… That's why you tried to stop us from entering the Exams."

"As a shinobi, I knew you would be willing to take whatever risks come with this Exam, even with the risk of Orochimaru being there, but as a father… I couldn't stand to see you take that risk," Minato admitted. "Even if it wasn't guaranteed that Orochimaru would attack your team to begin with."

Naruto sighed, running a hand through his still wet hair. "I shouldn't have lost my temper so quickly, either. I helped blow the entire ordeal out of proportion. I apologize for that," he said.

"There's nothing to apologize for," Minato replied before turning serious. "If Orochimaru did all of this to separate you from your teammates, then there's bound to be trouble. We should get back to them as soon as possible."

Naruto nodded. "Let's go," he agreed and the two of them raced off.

* * *

Sasuke breathed heavily as he hid both himself and Sakura from the frightening Kusa nin that had attacked them soon after Naruto vanishing.

'_We've got to move fast or she'll find us! But how do we avoid her?_' the Uchiha thought to himself, trying to think of a strategy that wouldn't get them killed.

He was so caught up in his thoughts, he didn't notice the snake slowly sneaking up on them and Sakura couldn't say anything because of her covered mouth.

She finally managed to yank his hand off her mouth to warn him. "Sasuke, snake!" she snapped out.

He leapt away just in time to avoid the snake's strike. '_What the hell is wrong with me? I didn't even sense that!_' he thought, distressed over how badly he'd been overwhelmed by their opponent. "Get lost!" he yelled as he sent a bunch of kunai at the snake's wide open mouth.

The snake fell with a loud thud and the Kusa nin slowly emerged from the corpse. "How disappointing… I would have expected better of you, Sasuke-kun… letting your guard down like that," she taunted. "You should be alert, like a good prey. It makes the chase all that more fun for the predator."

She started slithering up the tree towards Sasuke, dodging when a sudden group of kunai and shuriken appeared where she had been moments ago.

"Sorry, Sasuke… I forgot the password," Naruto apologized as he arrived upon the scene, Minato standing behind him like a shadow.

"That was amazing, Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed, more than relieved to see her other teammate alive.

"You look just like your father," the disguised nin remarked, eyes raking over Naruto's form as he spoke of Minato with such disdain.

'_It figures that that snake would know about Naruto's heritage…_' Minato thought with a frown, bristling at the way Orochimaru eyed his son.

'**I feel like the bastard's not seeing Naruto when he looks at him.' **Kyuubi thought to herself. '**I have a bad feeling he's going to unleash all of his anger towards Minato on his son…**'

'_His father?_' Sasuke and Sakura thought to themselves, confused. Naruto never spoke of his parents. How did this stranger know about him?

"I'll take that as a compliment," Naruto shot back proudly.

'_So he knows of his parentage,_' Orochimaru realized, seeing as how there had been no surprise in Naruto's voice as he made his comeback. '_I can use that to my advantage._'

"It's a real pity," Orochimaru drawled, sounding almost sympathetic.

"What's a pity?" Naruto questioned, frowning.

"It's a pity that your father's looks are the only good thing you could have inherited from him. "Your father was a weakling and he died a coward's death."

All Naruto needed to do was see the severely affronted look on Minato's face to go completely off the wall, chakra flaring. "Shut up! You're wrong! Tou-san was a hero… and he always will be one. You can't even hope to hold a kunai to him!"

'**There's no contest!**' Kyuubi growled, also angered at the slight against her chosen mate.

"Oh? Did I hit a nerve?" Orochimaru taunted the blonde, a malicious smirk on his face.

"Why you…" Naruto snarled, eyes turning red. The only thing keeping him from lunging at Orochimaru was the tight hold Minato had on his arm as the older man tried to keep his son from going and taking revenge for the insult.

"Back off, Naruto! He's too strong!" Sasuke called out, trying to prevent his dobe of a teammate from messing things up for them. '_I've got to get us out of this before we get killed._'

As much as he hated to do this, it was the only thing he could think of…

Sasuke took out the scroll and turned to Orochimaru. "If it's our scroll you want, come and get it! Take it and leave us alone!" he exclaimed, shocking Naruto.

"What the hell are you doing, Sasuke?" the Jinchuuriki cried out in complete disbelief. He hadn't thought Sasuke would be the one to turn coward. '_He doesn't care about the scroll!_'

Orochimaru chuckled. "That's a smart move of yours… distracting your enemy with a more alluring prey."

"Take it!" Sasuke called out, tossing the scroll… only for Naruto to snatch it up before Orochimaru could collect it.

"Stay out of this!" Sasuke growled, lunging for the oddly silent Naruto, only to get punched hard in the face for his effort.

"Don't be such a fool, Sasuke… do you honestly think he would let us live even if we gave him our scroll?" Naruto snapped, glaring viciously at the black-haired nin. "I hadn't realized you were such a scaredy cat."

Sasuke snarled angrily at the insult. "You're such an idiot, dobe… you can't possibly think that we stand a chance against him."

"Maybe not," Naruto admitted. "But we can do our best to survive."

With that, he dismissed Sasuke and turned to face the amused Orochimaru.

"Oh Naruto, this is rich!" the snake exclaimed, a malicious gleam in his eye. "And you're right."

Sasuke was instantly silenced in shock as he realized that Naruto had been right.

"There's no need to bargain when I can just kill you to get what I want," the Sannin declared as he streaked blood on a tattoo on his arm.

'_Damn it!_' Naruto cursed, lunging forward in an attempt to stop him. He was too late to stop the more experienced nin from summoning a giant snake.

However, he was able to keep himself from getting hurt as the snake struck out at him as he used Minato as a spring board to send himself flying in the opposite direction to avoid the snake's attack.

"That's one big snake." Minato whistled as he hung upside down from the branch above the one that Naruto was standing on.

"Defeating him won't be as easy as the other one. A pity that I couldn't teach you how to summon the toads… but Sensei has the contract."

'_We'll just have to find another way to get rid of him,_' Naruto responded.

"**Allow me to be of service,**~ Kyuubi offered. "**I haven't got to have as much fun as the two of you have. Besides… I still have to get back at that bastard for insulting Minato.**"

Minato couldn't help but feel amused over Kyuubi's petulant tone. "What do you think, Naruto?"

Naruto smirked. '_Let's go wild,_' he thought ferally and Kyuubi began to pour her chakra through her vessel's veins.

'_So he's using that, is he?_' Orochimaru thought with an intrigued look on his face. '_This will be interesting._'

As the snake lunged at Naruto again, he beat it down, the red chakra surrounding him enforcing his strength and sending the snake flying.

'_Is this really Naruto?_' Sakura thought to herself, shocked.

'_How did Naruto get that power? That should be mine…_' Sasuke thought greedily. It only made the idea of making Naruto his all the more enticing.

"_Fuuton: Daitoppa!_" Orochimaru called out, aiming to blow Naruto away again.

Minato foiled his plans, switching himself with Naruto, ending up getting separated from his son, much to his own surprise.

'_I don't have a corporeal body… that shouldn't have worked on me,_' Minato thought to himself. His materialized form was still, for the most part, intangible… or at least it had been. Eyes narrowing as a thought came to him, he placed a hand against the base of the tree he'd landed on. As he dragged it down, making sure to dig his nails into it, he was surprised to see four corresponding scratches appear. '_I'm becoming more solid…_'

He pushed the odd discovery to the back of his mind for the time being. Right now, he had to help his son keep Orochimaru from killing him and his teammates.

While Minato had been marveling over the mystery of his solidifying body, Orochimaru had taken advantage of the sudden space between him and Naruto to make another go at the panicked Sasuke with the snake.

"_Hyouton: Tsubame Fubuki!_" Naruto exclaimed, utilizing an ice technique that Haku had taught him back in Nami no Kuni. The ice swallows burst out and peppered the snake, piercing straight through his scales. With the number of injuries earned from the attack, it wasn't that much of a surprise that the snake vanished.

Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with interest over the sight of the jutsu. "Impressive… you truly are surprising, Naruto-kun. If it wasn't for your passenger, I would have considered you to be a good choice…"

'_A good choice for what?_' Naruto wondered, baring his fangs as he faced off against the nuke-nin. Then a thought came to him. '_Tou-san is taking a long time to come back… where is he?_'

While he was distracted, Orochimaru took advantage and grabbed Naruto with his long tongue.

"Hey, let go!" Naruto cried out, more than a little disgusted by the fact that he was being held up by the enemy's tongue.

Orochimaru's eyes gleamed maliciously as he began to go through a series of hand seals while his tongue raised Naruto's jacket and shirt to expose the glowing seal. "_Gogyou Fuuin!_"

Naruto screamed in pain as the Sannin jammed his glowing fingers into his stomach, disrupting his seal and making all of the red chakra disappear in a flash.

'_What's this?_' Orochimaru wondered when he discovered the Hiraishin kunai that was strung around Naruto's neck. He smirked. '_A little memento of your precious Tou-san, is it? You don't need this worthless piece of trash…_'

He ripped the kunai off Naruto's neck and tossed it off into the surrounding shrubbery. With that last act, Orochimaru tossed the blonde child away like trash.

As he fought the welcoming darkness, the boy couldn't help but realize just what it was that his father had been afraid of. Orochimaru was really a formidable opponent, He'd barely stood a chance…

"Naruto!" he heard a voice call out and he opened his eyes just in time to see his dad diving for him.

'_How could I have left him alone like this?_' Minato cursed himself. He should have been there! Even as he moved, he could feel the hold he had on his materialized body lessening.

Naruto reached out a hand for Minato's outstretched one but just as their fingers were about to meet, Minato vanished completely.

'_He's… gone… again…_'was Naruto's last broken thought, eyes wide in disbelief before they closed as the rushing unconsciousness claimed him.


	18. Separated

I'm really sorry it took so long to get this chapter out. I had aimed to get it out earlier too… Then I got hit by a couple of other muses.

I know it seemed like Minato may not have been up to par in the last chapter but I really didn't want Orochimaru to get an inkling of his existence just yet. I'm saving their epic battle for a later date. This was more for Naruto getting to go against a shinobi he wasn't yet ready to face just yet.

Also, I'm kind of interested in trying out different prompts, for one shots or otherwise, so if there's anything you guys would like to read, feel free to give suggestions.

**Disclaimer**: I think we all know the drill by now.

* * *

Chapter Seventeen: Separated

Sakura was more than a little stressed as she guarded her two unconscious teammates.

Orochimaru's attack had been utterly devastating.

Not only had he knocked Naruto out, but he destroyed their scroll and gave Sasuke a strange seal.

Sakura shivered as she remembered the Sannin and his words. He was wrong… Sasuke would never betray them. She was certain of it.

'_Naruto… Sasuke… please wake up,_' she prayed. '_I can't hold off every enemy all by myself._'

* * *

"We've already got both scrolls, Daichi. Why don't we just head to the tower?" Osamu asked the other boy.

"I want to see how Izou-kun is doing," Daichi responded.

"You're growing to be too obsessed with him," Michiru said. "There's no guarantee that he's the son of the Yondaime Hokage."

"He is," Daichi insisted. "I can feel it in my gut. Uzumaki Naruto is the son of that bastard who killed my father."

"You never got to know your father," Osamu shot back. "Why are you so determined to get revenge?"

"If it wasn't for Namikaze, I wouldn't be an orphan," Daichi declared hotly. His mother had just finished giving birth to him when the news of his father's death reached her. The shock proved to be too great for her and she passed away soon afterwards.

The sixteen-year old boy had lived a harsh life within one of Iwa's many orphanages… at least, until Kougyoku Jin adopted him.

The Jounin proceeded to fashion Daichi into a perfect tool, feeding his grudge against the Yondaime Hokage for his own purposes.

"The Yondaime Hokage stole my future," Daichi scowled. "So I will steal his. I won't just kill his son… I'll completely _destroy _him."

Michiru and Osamu looked at each other, eyeing their teammate in worry. It wasn't a big deal that Daichi hated Namikaze Minato. Everyone in Iwa did. However, the strength of his vendetta was a little alarming.

Daichi was about to speak more when they came across an area of the forest that looked like it had been utterly destroyed.

"Whoever fought here is definitely stronger than a Genin," Osamu mused. No Genin could have caused _this_ much destruction.

"I wonder what happened?" Michiru pondered.

"Who cares? It's no concern to us," Daichi said dismissively.

He would have just walked on but he noticed something glinting in a nearby bush. Investigating it, he unearthed a certain three-pronged kunai.

A malicious smirk flashed across his face. "Well, what do we have here?"

* * *

"Mou… nobody takes us seriously," Ino complained after Team Ten had come face to face with Neji.

"I wonder why…" Shikamaru muttered under his breath, earning a smack upside his head.

"Don't be a sourpuss just because you got into an argument with your wife," Ino exclaimed with a huff. "Not that I can blame you. Naruto was very rude."

"I pressed him too hard," Shikamaru replied. "It wasn't his fault."

"How were you even able to notice that he was upset anyways? He certainly didn't _act_ like it," Ino commented.

"Naruto's good at hiding things," Shikamaru remarked, getting a strange look from Ino.

"Uzumaki Naruto? Are you sure we're talking about the same guy?" Ino asked incredulously.

"What other Naruto do we know, Ino?" Shikamaru shot back. "You can't deny it. He's hiding a lot behind that smile of his. If you opened your eyes, you would see he's one of the biggest mysteries in all of Konoha."

"It must be a big one if it makes _you_ want to unravel it, Shikamaru," Chouji stated with an amused smile.

Shikamaru just smirked but then frowned as he heard a commotion coming from nearby.

"I wonder what's going on?" Ino wondered.

"Let's check it out," Shikamaru said and they went to investigate.

They came across the scene of Sakura trying to fend off the three Oto nin.

An injured Rock Lee lay nearby and in the cover of a tree lay and unconscious Sasuke and…

Shikamaru's heart leapt in his throat at the sight of his pale paramour. He looked so vulnerable…

Shikamaru wondered what could have taken the blonde down.

'_This is what I was worried about. His guardian could have protected him,_' the lazy genius thought to himself, not knowing that Naruto had already made amends with his father.

Looking back, he saw a strange look on Ino's face as she watched Sakura fight so hard to defend her teammates. He knew what she was thinking.

"We have to help them," she said and Shikamaru was more than inclined to agree.

If Naruto's angel wasn't there to protect him, he would be.

* * *

/ 'Where am I?_' Naruto thought to himself, finding that he was standing in a large white, empty space. '_The last thing I remember is Orochimaru hitting me in the stomach._'_

_ There was a sudden breeze and Naruto realized he was no longer alone._

_ He turned and saw Minato standing there, looking away from him._

_ Naruto sighed in relief, recalling how the Yondaime had disappeared right before he lost consciousness._

_ "I'm glad you're here, Tou-san. You really scared me, vanishing like that…" Naruto spoke aloud, only to be met with silence. "Tou-san?" he called out again, this time in trepidation._

_ Again, Naruto was ignored. Minato didn't even turn to him._

_ '_What's going on?_' Naruto thought to himself, worried. '_Why won't he answer me?_' He was starting to get the feeling that something was very wrong._

_ His heart leapt in his throat when he saw Minato begin to walk… away from him._

_ "Where are you going?" Naruto queried, running after him. The Yondaime Hokage didn't acknowledge him, causing Naruto to grow more distressed._

_ Naruto didn't like this. Something told him that if he let his father walk away, he would never see him again._

_ '_Don't go…_' he thought in desperation. "DON'T GO!" he yelled, reaching out with a hand as he chased after the older man. Just as he was about to grab onto Minato's cloak, the older man vanished, almost as if he had never been there._

_ Naruto was left standing there frozen in complete disbelief. _

_ '_I didn't imagine it… Tou-san is gone…_' Naruto realized with growing horror and grief. '_He's gone…_'_/

'_How did things turn out like this?_' Shikamaru thought as he watched Sasuke beat the Oto nin that had been giving them trouble so easily.

His brutality was startling. Shikamaru wondered why the girls liked someone who was so utterly ruthless. He was like a demon.

The Oto nin were begging for mercy and Sakura was about to try to reason with Sasuke when Naruto woke up.

It was far from peacefully.

He woke up, screaming.

Shikamaru only got a glimpse of Naruto's tear-filled, heartbroken blue eyes before Naruto's chakra went absolutely nuts, producing hurricane force winds.

The chakra was wild and completely out of control, unlike Naruto's normal wind chakra, or even the guardian's.

They had never seen Naruto so upset before… thought that was only a side thought as they fought to keep grounded in the face of such strong winds.

Dosu, Kin and Zaku, who were already so beat up, took an extra beating from the winds, having not been able to protect themselves. They were quick to flee.

'_We have to calm him down before he exhausts himself or hurts anyone else,_' Shikamaru thought, mind whirring as he tried to find a solution to their current predicament.

Coating his body with his own wind chakra to protect himself, Shikamaru started walking towards Naruto.

"What are you doing?" TenTen asked as she and Neji shielded their injured teammate.

Shikamaru chose not to respond as he was completely focused on the blonde Jinchuuriki.

"He's crazy…" Neji muttered under his breath, earning a glare from Ino.

"He's trying to help," she defended her teammate. She had complete faith in the lazy Genin.

Shikamaru reached Naruto and pulled him into his arms, swallowing Naruto's cry as he pressed his lips against the blonde's.

All around them, the other Genin began to blush at seeing the public display of affection.

"Oh yeah, he's definitely trying to help," Neji stated sarcastically.

'_This isn't the time to make out with your wife, Shikamaru…_' Ino thought with a sweat drop.

Nevertheless, Naruto's wind calmed down and he went limp, resting against Shikamaru tiredly.

"No matter how questionable his methods were, it worked," Chouji said in support of his best friend.

Shikamaru rubbed Naruto's back comfortingly. "What's got you so scared?" he queried.

"He's gone…" Naruto whispered brokenly, as if he really couldn't believe it.

"Who's gone/" Shikamaru questioned, hoping it wasn't who he thought it was.

"…Tou-san…" Naruto replied.

At first, Shikamaru was confused. Wasn't Naruto an orphan? Didn't that mean his father was dead? Thinking harder, he recalled Naruto's slip up back before the Second Exam had begun. Suddenly, it all made sense.

Naruto's guardian angel was his father. It would certainly explain why the angel was so protective of him. No stranger would have cared so much for the blonde. It would also explain why Naruto was so broken up over the loss.

"Wasn't he already gone?" he queried in confusion.

"He was…" Naruto admitted. "But then he came back."

Shikamaru's eyes widened. The angel had returned to Naruto, only to disappear again a short time later. But why would he do that?

"What happened to him?" the lazy genius asked.

Before Naruto could respond, they felt a strong wave of Killing Intent and suddenly, they were ripped away from each other.

The Jinchuuriki found himself in Sasuke's possessive grasp, who was still under the effects of the Cursed Seal.

"What are you doing?" Naruto cried out, struggling against Sasuke's tight hold.

"Keep away from him, Nara…" Sasuke growled, Sharingan glowing malignantly. "He's mine…"

"I'm/He's what?" everyone exclaimed in shock. They hadn't heard Sasuke correctly, had they?

'_Sasuke-kun isn't himself right now,_' Sakura thought, fear bubbling within her at the thought of Sasuke fixating on the obviously stricken and vulnerable Naruto.

"Like hell I'm yours!" Naruto yelled, squirming vigorously, trying to summon enough chakra to have the strength to force Sasuke away from him. Unfortunately, he'd exhausted most of his chakra supply when he had freaked out and he was having difficulty trying to manipulate the rest. Something was messing with his chakra control.

This only amused Sasuke.

"You're not so powerful without Daddy Dearest, are you, Naruto?" Sasuke sneered, having overheard Naruto and Shikamaru's quiet conversation. All of his senses had been enhanced greatly by the Cursed Seal.

"Shut up!" Naruto yelled out angrily. Sasuke had no right to speak of his dad like that. He clamped his mouth down on Sasuke's nearest hand, digging his teeth in viciously.

Sasuke let out a loud cry of pain, recoiling and releasing Naruto. The blonde instantly fled.

He needed space to absorb everything and calm down. He couldn't do that with everyone around.

"Naruto!" he heard Sakura and Shikamaru call out after him in worry. He didn't look back.

"Damn it!" Sasuke swore, aiming to go after Naruto, but Sakura stopped him as she wrapped her arms around him from behind.

"Sasuke-kun, you've got to stop. You're not in your right mind, and neither is he. Just calm down!" she pleaded with him, holding on as tightly as she could.

Sasuke growled but slowly relented as the effects of the Cursed Seal finally started to fade away. His eyes went back to being their normal lifeless black and he relaxed in Sakura's arms. "You can let go of me now," he snapped and Sakura released him, feeling relieved that at least the horrible chakra he'd been giving off was gone for the time being. She made a note to herself to tell Kakashi-sensei about it.

"Poor Naruto-kun…" Lee muttered He didn't fully understand what was going on, having no prior knowledge of Naruto's protective spirit but the pain on Naruto's face was enough of a reason for his sympathy.

"Pathetic…" Neji sneered with a scoff at Team Seven's 'disgraceful' behavior. He had at least expected the Uchiha to act like a proper shinobi but with his possessive act, Neji had lost all respect for him.

* * *

A/N: I hope the chapter was to your liking. Naruto will calm down and start thinking a bit more rationally in the next chapter. Sorry it's a little short.


	19. Encounter in the Forest

I'm glad that I didn't take as much time with this chapter as the last. Thanks to you all for bearing with me though. This entire applying to medical school thing is a real pain in the ass.

For all of you have been worrying over Minato, don't worry. He will be back. While he won't be freed from the seal until Jiraiya pops up, I can guarantee you will be seeing him before that.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter Eighteen: Encounter in the Forest

"What are we still doing out here?" Kankurou grumbled as he and his siblings continued to wander through the Forest of Death.

"We must find Uzumaki Naruto," Gaara intoned.

"What's with you and that guy anyways?" Kankurou asked. "You're strangers one day and best friends the next!"

Gaara paused for a moment to address the question. "He helped me…" he responded. "He fixed my seal."

Recalling how Gaara was now sleeping without Shuukaku coming out to play, Temari and Kankurou had to acknowledge the truth behind that.

"But how?" Gaara's elder brother queried. "Your seal was made by our best seal master, Chiyo-sama. Even she could not fully subdue the demon. How could a fresh-out-of-the-Academy Genin do what she could not?"

"Keep in mind, Kankurou, Konoha has given rise to some of the greatest seal masters to ever exist like Jiraiya of the Sannin and the Yondaime Hokage. Knowing that, is it _still_ surprising to you?" Temari pointed out.

The puppeteer had to concede that point. "I guess not," he replied, although he still felt a little suspicious.

If Naruto really had managed to help their brother, then the Suna nin owed the blonde a lot. What he had granted Gaara was something that they could have never been able to give: a life without the horrible influence of his tenant constantly tormenting him and the chance for him to heal his wounded heart.

Even now, Gaara was mellowing out, giving his siblings hope.

"Maybe he is special," Kankurou mused in the end.

* * *

Once Naruto felt he was far enough away from everyone, he skidded to a halt.

'_Calm down and think rationally,_' Naruto told himself, taking deep breaths.

Thinking back to the battle against Orochimaru, he focused on what had led to his father's disappearance.

It was like his memories were going back on rewind as he tried to pinpoint the exact thing that had screwed over both his chakra and the communication link he shared with Minato and Kyuubi.

/_"Gogyou Fuuin!"_/

Eyes widening as he remembered Orochimaru's attack, he lifted his clothes to look at his abdomen as he channeled chakra.

Looking at the seal, he saw the source of his problem.

'_So this really is all Orochimaru's fault,_' Naruto realized, anger flaring. The snake Sannin had stolen his Tou-san… he would pay the next time Naruto saw him!

That is… if he could overcome the major handicap he faced with his messed up chakra control.

That meant his wind chakra was out for the count, and with that, any Hyouton jutsu. He couldn't chance any Fuuinjutsu either. If he made even the slightest mistake with that, he could severely hurt himself or those around him.

All he really had at his disposal now that most of his Ninjutsu was out of commission and his Fuuinjutsu was off limits was his Kage Bunshin and his Taijutsu.

He'd really been put at a disadvantage.

There was a sudden whistling noise and Naruto found himself bound to a tree, courtesy of a group of vines.

"It looks like we've caught a little fox," Daichi sneered as he approached Naruto alongside his teammates.

Naruto cursed as he struggled against his bins. "Damn it, why can't you just leave me alone?" he yelled.

"As I said before, that's a no can do, Izou-kun," Daichi drawled before smirking maliciously. "Or should I call you _Namikaze_-kun?"

Naruto's heart nearly stopped at the conviction in the Iwa nin's voice. There wasn't even the slightest amount of doubt in his voice or eyes. He knew.

Shock wearing off his face, Naruto went stone cold. "How did you know?" he asked, seeing that it would be pointless to deny it anymore. Nothing he could say or do would convince them otherwise when they were so hell bent on believing it.

"Other than the fact that you're a complete carbon copy of the man?" Osamu inquired.

"Speaking of which, your village must be really blind not to notice the connection… either that or they're protecting you," Michiru commented.

Naruto scoffed. "Their grief makes them blind," he responded simply.

"I've seen the way the villagers look at you, Namikaze," Daichi mused. "They don't like you very much, do they? Why is that? You're the child of their darling Yondaime Hokage. You would think they would treat you like a Prince."

"That's none of your business," Naruto said, looking away from Daichi. They'd already figured out one of his secrets. He wouldn't let them find out the other.

Daichi forced him to look back at him by taking hold of his chin.

"I'm making it my business. Now tell me," he ordered, only for Naruto to spit in his face in defiance.

Daichi's eyes turned stormy as he wiped the saliva away. He reveled in Naruto's cry of pain as he backhanded him harshly.

He thrust his hand into Naruto's blonde hair and used it to pull him towards him. "I'll enjoy breaking you," he hissed in his ear.

"That will never happen," the Namikaze heir scowled, blue eyes burning with determination. It pissed Daichi off.

He sneered. "I really hate everything about you," he spoke, his inner rage peeking through. "Your father screwed me over by destroying my family. I'll do the same to him by destroying you."

"You can try all you like but I'll fight you until the end," the blonde retorted, baring his teeth.

"Big talk coming from someone who always needed to be saved during our previous encounters," Michiru retorted.

"Tch," Naruto grunted. The only reason he had not fought against them properly before was because he had been trying to avoid conflict with them like he had been advised to.

Kakashi-sensei hadn't wanted the Iwa nin to get an inkling of just who he really was. That advice would do him no good now that his identity was blown.

Unfortunately, he wasn't in any condition to fight back against the Iwa nin. He barely had any chakra left and he hadn't had the time to get himself accustomed to is new limitations yet.

'_Damn it,_' he cursed inwardly. '_How am I going to get out of this mess?_'

"I thought you were going to fight us, Namikaze. You can't do that if you're still tied up," Osamu taunted.

Naruto's silence was all they needed. They broke into jeering laughter.

"You can't get out, can you?" Michiru realized. "The son of the Yondaime Hokage can't even break out of these simple restraints. Pathetic."

"I guess the Namikaze heir isn't all that he's cracked up to be," Osamu drawled, looking unimpressed.

"Your father would have been disappointed to know just how pathetic you really are," Daichi stated, looking down on the blonde.

Naruto snapped.

He converted his remaining chakra directly into wind and let it run completely wild as he let out a scream of sheer rage that echoed throughout the entire forest.

The three Iwa nin tried to stay on their feet but it proved to be useless. Michiru was knocked out as she slammed into a tree, Osamu got himself tangled in a nearby bush, and Daichi was forced to release Naruto in order to stabilize his own position.

In the end, Daichi found himself alone against a freed and pissed off Naruto.

"Don't you dare speak of my Tou-san, teme… you don't know him," the blonde stated, panting heavily.

'_What is he?_' Daichi wondered, shocked by Naruto's resolve. He'd known the moment he'd seen the blonde in the forest that the boy was utterly exhausted with little chakra to spare and little way to defend himself. There should have been no way for the Namikaze to fight against them… yet, there he was, completely free.

Of course, it was at that moment that Naruto passed out from exhaustion.

"He's his father's son after all," the Iwa nin remarked, grudgingly acknowledging Naruto's potential as a shinobi. '_You're more interesting than I had previously thought, Namikaze Naruto._'

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Osamu moving to finish Naruto off. "Stop," he ordered, gaining a surprised look from his friend.

"But I thought you wanted him dead," Osamu remarked with a frown.

"I do," Daichi agreed. "But not like this. I want to play with him for a little while longer. I want to see _all_ that he's capable of before I finally do him in."

"Have it your way," Osamu shrugged, backing off and to go and collect Michiru.

"Let's get going," Daichi stated. "We'll have our chance to face him again later when he's at full strength. Defeating him like that will be the only way that I can get satisfaction out of my revenge."

"Kougyoku-sensei isn't going to like it when he finds out you let him go," Osamu warned.

"It's _my_ revenge, isn't it? Not his. He'll just have to deal," Daichi responded, unrepentant. He took out an extra pair of Heaven and Earth scrolls he and his team had gathered and put it beside Naruto alongside the three-pronged kunai he had found.

"You're giving that back to him?" Osamu queried, raising an eyebrow.

"It's not like I have any use for it," Daichi shrugged. "Let's go."

With that declaration, the Iwa nin left Naruto behind.

Not much longer, Gaara and his siblings came across the unconscious blonde, having been attracted by his chakra release.

"It's him," Temari stated the obvious in surprise. "I wonder what happened to him?"

"Chakra exhaustion," Gaara said simply as he approached his fellow Jinchuuriki. When he and Naruto had bonded that first night, they became highly in tune with each other's physical and mental states. His sand wrapped around Naruto, cradling him gently, providing an impromptu bed.

"Look," Kankurou pointed out as he saw the scrolls. "He must have lost consciousness retrieving or defending them." He debated the idea of taking them, only to be met with Gaara's glare. He figured it was best to leave it with Naruto. Then his eyes fell on the Hiraishin kunai. "What's this?"

"I don't know," Temari commented. "But it looks familiar. I've seen it somewhere, I'm sure of it."

Gaara didn't say anything as he used the sand bed to lift Naruto off of the ground, scrolls and kunai included. He quickly tucked the kunai back into Naruto's weapons pouch, not wanting anyone else to see it.

"Come, we're going to bring him back to his teammates," Gaara stated as he started walking away. His siblings had no choice but to follow.

"I'll never understand this bond between them," Kankurou grumbled.

"I don't think anyone will," Temari declared.

* * *

Shikamaru and Sasuke glared at each other while Ino was helping fix Sakura's hair. Chouji was trying to act as a mediator between the two rivals for Naruto's affections.

"Naruto doesn't belong to you," Shikamaru scowled.

"He will," Sasuke responded coldly. "It's only a matter of time."

"You have no right to be so possessive of him!" Shikamaru snarled, shocking Ino. She'd never seen her teammate so angry before.

"Of course I do. He's my teammate, not yours. Naruto is mine, as is Sakura! No one can get in between us!" Sasuke growled.

Sakura blushed in the background. So it wasn't just Naruto that he was so possessive over. She'd gotten scared that she had lost Sasuke to Naruto. She hadn't even realized he was competition. Although, it didn't seem that Naruto was terribly interested in the Uchiha in the first place. He seemed like he was falling for Shikamaru… but then again, Naruto _had_ stayed the night at Sasuke's place the night before…

Shikamaru was stunned by the sheer degree of Sasuke's possessiveness. It was frankly alarming.

"You're deranged, Uchiha," Shikamaru declared, much to Ino and Sakura's displeasure. "You're a threat to both of your teammates. If I have to, I'll protect Naruto even from you!"

"Big words coming from a loser," Sasuke scoffed derisively.

Shikamaru grit his teeth and he was about to speak once more when both teams sensed someone approaching.

They all turned in time to see the Suna siblings arrive with the unconscious Naruto in tow.

"Naruto!" Sakura called out in concern as Gaara gently lay the boy down on the ground near her and Ino. "Is he okay?"

"He'll be fine. He just wore himself out," Gaara responded, the most they had ever heard the stoic redhead say.

"Thank you for taking care of him," the pink-haired girl said, relieved to see her wayward teammate in one piece.

"I promised _him_ that I would protect him," Gaara replied simply.

'_Promised who?_' everyone wondered. It couldn't have been Naruto. Naruto wouldn't have liked to ask anyone for protection. He would try to fight for himself. Shikamaru had an inkling of just who Gaara was talking about. If it was true, that meant Gaara knew Naruto's secret.

Jealousy filled the brunette. Naruto only knew Gaara for a few days and in that time, not only had he shared a bed with him but he'd also shared his most protected secret. What did the Suna nin have that he did not?

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the same jealous expression on Sasuke's face.

"What's that in Naruto's hands?" Ino broke Shikamaru's thought process as they all noticed the scrolls in Naruto's possession.

"He got us scrolls in this amount of time?" Sakura declared, bemused. Given the way Naruto had been before he had fled, he hadn't looked like he was in the right mind to go hunting for scrolls. Then again… this _was_ the most surprising ninja in all of Konoha they were talking about.

"That explains why he's unconscious, he hadn't had much chakra left to spare as it was," Shikamaru stated, thinking back to how much Naruto had spent when he'd woke up and freaked out.

"We will accompany you to the Tower," Gaara stated simply. "I must abide by my promise."

"Seeing how stubbornly Gaara was sticking to Naruto, Sasuke could only growl.

"What scroll do you guys need?" Sakura asked Ino curiously.

"An Earth scroll, why?" the blonde girl inquired.

"We need a Heaven scroll," Sakura stated before tossing the extra Earth scroll to Ino. "Consider this a thank you for helping us against the Oto nin. You deserve this as much as we do."

Ino looked surprised. "This better not be charity, Sakura," she stated.

"It's not. Just consider this as me repaying you for my debt. Besides, the Chuunin Exams wouldn't be much fun if you weren't there to compete against," Sakura smirked.

"Then we accept," the blonde female replied. '_You're not fooling anyone, Sakura. You're doing this for Naruto. You know he would want Shikamaru to remain in the Chuunin Exams._'

"Let's go," Gaara said, sounding quite impatient. The three-team group was quick to comply.

* * *

A/N: I hope you liked the chapter. I'm glad to finally be done with the Second Exam. The preliminaries will be fun to do and in one particular scene I'm going to start bringing up memories from Naruto and Minato's pasts, so if there are any scenes you guys are particularly interested in seeing, feel free to ask.

Also, I've been receiving another muse I thought I'd ask you guys your opinions on. It's rough at the moment but seems fun to do:

Naruto and Sakura were dating but in the end, Sakura chose Sasuke over him, Ino helps him get over her. Then an enemy pops up with control over this death veil thing (like the thing in the fifth Harry Potter book) and starts bringing back all of the old enemies, including Madara. Sasuke pushes Naruto into the veil but Naruto finds his way back out of it… alongside a few formerly dead allies (any guesses who? *grin*)


	20. Talking with the Hokage

This chapter took longer to get out than I expected it to, so I apologize for that. The Second Exam is finally over *breathes sigh of relief* Naruto went through enough hell in there, didn't he? I hope you like the chapter. I have a little surprise in it.

**Caime-chan**: Don't worry, Gaara only has brotherly feelings for Naruto. I just find him being a sort of roadblock to romantic advances kind of amusing. I can see him being overprotective, can't you?

**PuppetMaster55**: I incorporated the flashback you wanted to see in this one (sort of). I hope it's to your liking.

**Disclaimer**: This is getting a little old, isn't it?

* * *

Chapter Nineteen: Talk with the Hokage

"Orochimaru did what?" Kakashi gaped, wide-eyed as the Sandaime reported the incident that had happened in the Forest of Death.

"He attacked your team," Sarutobi repeated gravely.

"Are they okay?" Kakashi demanded, heart filling with dread. If anything happened to them, he would never forgive himself. He didn't even want to think of what Iruka would do to him if he found out.

"They've come out in relatively good condition, given who they had been up against," the Sandaime stated and Kakashi let out a sigh of relief. They were alive. "However, we have reason to believe that Orochimaru has given Uchiha Sasuke the Cursed Seal."

Kakashi swore loudly. That would be trouble. Sasuke was screwed up enough as it was. With the Cursed Seal influencing him, he would be an even greater danger to his teammates.

"When Team Seven arrives at the Tower, I expect you to immediately go and seal away the effects of the Cursed Seal. We can't let him go around with it like that for much longer," the Hokage instructed Kakashi.

"Yes, sir," Kakashi stated solemnly, A worried expression still present in his eye.

"Don't beat yourself up, Kakashi," Sarutobi said. "It's not like you knew Orochimaru would do this…"

Kakashi averted his eyes. '_I may not have, but Sensei had…_' he thought, thinking back to the warning Minato had tried to convey that one day. Kakashi had passed it off as Minato being too overprotective. He should have listened…

* * *

"What is Naruto to you?" Sasuke asked Gaara bluntly as they neared the Tower.

"He's my brother," Gaara responded, squashing any suspicion anyone had of the two Jinchuuriki being anything more.

"He never cared about _us_ that much," Kankurou grumbled under his breath, only to get swatted by Temari. "Ow! It's the truth!"

"I'm sorry," Gaara apologized to them, looking away. He didn't see the shocked looks on his sibling's faces. "I will try to be better with time."

Temari and Kankurou gazed at each other in surprise. Gaara really was trying to make an effort to be more approachable.

"It's okay, Gaara," Temari replied gently. "Take as much time as you need." She was rewarded with a small, shy smile.

Sasuke scoffed. With that scene, Gaara just became more pathetic in his eyes. To everyone else, it just made Gaara more human.

They all got distracted when they heard Naruto groan as he regained consciousness.

"What happened?" Naruto asked groggily, opening his tired blue eyes.

"You tell us," Gaara responded, eyes boring into Naruto's. The boy in question's face instantly softened.

"Gaara…" he spoke out warmly. "So you saved me?"

"We found you," the redhead corrected. "You were alone when we got there."

Naruto's face scrunched up in confusion.

"What is it, Naruto?" Shikamaru inquired in concern, noticing the odd look on his face.

"Why did he leave me alive?" the blonde asked, mostly to himself.

"Who, Naruto?" Sakura questioned.

"Daichi…" the Jinchuuriki responded. Both Shikamaru and Sasuke reacted violently.

"Did he do anything to you?" they exclaimed simultaneously before glaring at each other.

'_Do we look like that when we fight over Sasuke?_' Ino and Sakura wondered.

"He just smacked me around a bit," Naruto admitted. "I managed to use my chakra to break free of the restraints they had me in but then I passed out."

Shikamaru frowned. Now he understood the blonde's confusion. He'd been completely vulnerable. The Iwa nin could have done anything they wanted to do to him but they hadn't. Nothing that ninja did made any sense.

"Maybe he likes you," Ino suggested cheekily, earning affronted looks from both Sasuke and Shikamaru.

Naruto shook his head. "That's not it," he denied. "Daichi already established that he hates my guts. I look too much like the Yondaime Hokage for his comfort."

"That's a stupid reason to want to kill you," Chouji remarked.

"Think about it, Chouji," Shikamaru spoke. "The Yondaime Hokage is to Iwa what the Kyuubi is to Konoha."

He was the only one who noticed how Naruto flinched at his statement. He frowned in a puzzled fashion. What had he said to bother the blonde? Why were Temari and Kankurou looking at Naruto sympathetically?

"We're here," Gaara broke the conversation.

"It looks like it's time to separate," Ino declared, sounding a little disappointed.

"Don't miss me too badly, Ino-Pig," Sakura said teasingly, causing the blonde girl to glower.

"Like I would, Forehead," she scoffed with a flick of her hair. "Let's go, Shikamaru, Chouji."

"Troublesome…" the lazy nin grumbled as he helped Naruto get back on his feet. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine," Naruto insisted. "It will take a lot more than chakra exhaustion to get me down." He said with a small smile.

Squeezing Naruto's hand affectionately, Shikamaru returned to his teammates' sides, ignoring Sasuke's glare.

"Let's go," Sasuke told his teammates gruffly and they headed into their own room to address the two scrolls.

"Bye Gaara," Naruto exclaimed to his surrogate brother, hugging him tightly. Temari and Kankurou let out startled shouts. Their eyes widened further when Gaara returned the embrace.

Sasuke scowled before forcibly removing Naruto from the Suna nin and dragging him off. Naruto just kept waving at the Kazekage's children, the grin never leaving his face.

"What's your problem?" Naruto scowled as Sasuke finally put him down within their chosen room.

"You spend most of your time with the other teams. You should focus your attention on your own," Sasuke said hotly. "Or would you rather be worse than trash?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed as he bristled at the insult. "The last thing you'll need to worry about, Sasuke-teme, is me abandoning the team. You and Sakura are my teammates and I'll back you up no matter what. That's a promise and I never go back on my word," he declared.

'_Got you,_' Sasuke smirked, finding his way to trap Naruto to him with that one promise. "I'll hold you to that, Naruto."

"So what do we do now?" Sakura queried curiously.

"We open the scrolls as instructed," Sasuke replied simply and they did so.

There was a big burst of smoke and the figure who emerged from it was…

"Iruka-sensei!"

* * *

Iruka relaxed once he finished speaking with Team Seven.

The moment he had finished, Kakashi had appeared and took Sasuke away to deal with his new Cursed Seal, leaving Iruka with the other two exhausted Genin.

He was a little worried about Naruto. The boy was trying to hide it but Iruka knew something was bothering him. He wanted to address the issue with the somewhat pale boy, but he didn't have the time for it. The Sandaime Hokage wanted to speak with Naruto as soon as he was able, but for what, he did not know. Iruka had a feeling it had to do with what the Hokage had called Kakashi to his office for two days ago during the beginning of the Second Exam.

"How is Sakuya-chan doing?" Naruto asked Iruka on their way to talk with the old man.

"She's doing fine, but she misses you," Iruka stated.

Naruto smiled softly. "I miss her too," he admitted.

"I can bring her over if you like," Iruka offered, trying to cheer the unusually somber boy up.

"I'd like that," the blonde remarked as they arrived at the Hokage Office. "I'll see you later, Iruka-sensei."

"I'll hold you to that," the brunette smiled as he ruffled Naruto's hair. "Good luck."

Naruto entered the office to see the Sandaime waiting for him, looking very serious.

"You wanted to talk with me, ojii-san?" Naruto inquired.

"I did," Sarutobi agreed. "I wanted to discuss the message you gave me a couple of days ago."

"About my knowledge of my heritage, you mean," Naruto stated.

"How long has it been since you learned about it?" the aged Hokage questioned.

"Since after the Wave mission," Naruto lied. He couldn't very well tell him the truth.

"How did you feel about it" the Sandaime asked. He was concerned over Naruto's reaction to the knowledge that his father had sealed the Kyuubi into him.

Naruto looked thoughtful as he tried to draw up the initial feelings he had had when Minato had given him the full truth on his tenth birthday… the fifth Anniversary of when Minato had made his presence known to the boy.

(Flashback****)

_ Ten-year old Naruto woke up to the familiar sound of Minato calling his name._

_ Opening his bleary eyes, Naruto came face to face with the smiling elder blonde._

_ "Happy Birthday, Naru-chan," the guardian angel greeted his charge, ruffling his hair fondly. "How does it feel to be ten years old now?"_

_ "I'll tell you once I actually get a feel for it," the Jinchuuriki responded. "I've only just woke up."_

_ Minato had the grace to look sheepish. Naruto just laughed._

_ "For someone who's so smart, you sure are dumb," Minato's son teased his eternal companion._

_ "Bite your tongue," Minato shot back, sounding offended. Naruto just laughed harder, causing the former Hokage to pout. "I'll show you!"_

_ Naruto yelped loudly as Minato tackled him back onto the bed and proceeded to tickle him, long and hard._

_ "Stop…" he pleaded between hysteric laughter. "Please!"_

_ "Not until you take those words back," the mischievous adult shot back._

_ "I can't breathe…" Naruto choked out as tears of laughter streamed down his cheeks. "Please __**Tou-san**__!"_

_ Minato's hands stilled instantly as he gazed at the boy in shock, how could he know? The older blonde had never told him… "What did you just call me?" he inquired, just to be sure._

_ Naruto suddenly looked ashamed of himself. "I'm sorry, Minato-san. I didn't mean to call you that. It just came out. It's just that, sometimes…" he broke off._

_ "Sometimes __**what**__, Naruto?" Minato pressed, wanting to hear what his son had to say._

_ Naruto took a deep breath before answering. "Sometimes I wish you were my father."_

_ If Minato had been fully alive, his breath would have caught in his throat. Instead, all that the specter could do was stare at his son with wide eyes._

_ Naruto quickly averted his eyes. "I won't do it again if it bothers you so much," he mumbled._

_ "No, that's not it," the Yondaime was quick to say. "You just surprised me. You have every right to call me that."_

_ "What do you mean?" the whiskered child queried, cocking his head to the side._

_ Minato sighed and ran a hand through his vibrant golden hair. "I had wanted to tell you this when you were a little older but I suppose now is as good a time as any."_

_ "Tell me what?" Naruto frowned in confusion._

_ "The truth," Minato replied seriously. "It would be best to do this elsewhere, though. There's a better place to talk."_

_ "Where?" his inquisitive son asked._

_ "Just take my hand," the elder Namikaze urged and this time, Naruto didn't say a word. He just took Minato's hands. He trusted the older man more than he did anyone else… even the Sandaime Hokage._

_ There was a bright flash of light and then Naruto found himself standing in the middle of a sewer beside Minato._

_ "__**This**__ is where you want to talk?" Naruto asked incredulously. "Where are we anyways?"_

_ "Your mind," was the simple reply, causing the ten-year-old to look at his guardian angel in surprise._

_ "You can't be serious. __**This **__is my mind?" Naruto spoke out, not wanting to believe it. It wasn't exactly the most reassuring thought._

_ "What your mind looks like is completely up to you, Naruto. You can change it however you like," Minato said wisely._

_ "Good point," Naruto mused as he concentrated._

_ A second later, the scenery changed into a huge green field with a big cave on one side._

_ Naruto opened his eyes and smiled at Minato._

_ "Do you like it?" he asked, searching for approval._

_ "I love it," Minato replied with a wide smile. Naruto brightened instantly._

_ "So what is it that you wanted to talk about?" Naruto finally inquired._

_ Minato took a moment to gather his thoughts. This was going to be a long and hard discussion._

_ "Naruto… what do you know about the night that the Kyuubi attacked?" Minato questioned._

_ Wondering what this had to do with anything, Naruto was quick to answer. "Not much. Just that you killed the Kyuubi while sacrificing your life to do it. Oh, and it happened on my birthday."_

_ The Hokage shook his head. "I didn't kill the Kyuubi," he corrected. "That's just a cover story. There is no way to kill a Bijuu."_

_ Naruto frowned. "Then how did you defeat the Kyuubi?"_

_ "The only way to subdue a Bijuu is to seal it… either in an object or a person. Now the Kyuubi was too powerful to be sealed away in an inanimate object. I was forced, instead, to rely on a human vessel. Unfortunately, the Kyuubi's power was too strong for me to be able to hold in my own body completely by myself. Instead, I split its chakra in half, sealing the Yin chakra into myself while sealing the Yang chakra into a newborn child, who was a better suited vessel as his chakra coils had yet to form," Minato continued his explanation._

_ Naruto was beginning to get an inkling of where this was going. It would explain why the village was so horrible to him… and why he couldn't go anywhere on his birthday._

_ "So they were right… I did kill you. I am a demon," Naruto declared sadly._

_ "No!" Minato exclaimed vehemently. "You're not a demon and you didn't kill me!" He exclaimed angrily._

_ Naruto stared at the older blonde with wide eyes. He had never seen the man get angry before, however there was still one question plaguing the boy's mind; One that he desperately needed to ask. "Why? Why me?"_

_ Minato hated seeing the hurt in Naruto's eyes almost as much as he hated being the cause of it._

_ "It gave me no pleasure doing it, Naruto. I hated condemning you to the life of a Jinchuuriki knowing that I would escape it through death. I had no choice. Not only were you the only newborn brought into the world that day, but I couldn't ask anyone to give up what I, as the Hokage, wouldn't," Minato did his best to explain._

_ "Give up what/" Naruto pressed._

_ "My child…" Minato breathed out, causing Naruto's eyes to widen. "I chose you because you were my son… and the only one I could trust to handle such a burden. I did it to protect Konoha… to give you a future to live in… and I did it to grant you the power you would need to fight the real threat behind the attack."_

_ It hurt to know the real reason behind the village's hatred towards him but Naruto trusted, even loved, the man in front of him. He could understand and forgive him for his role in it… given time._

_ "Why didn't you tell me before?" he finally asked after a few minutes of silence._

_ "Call me selfish, but I wanted you to get to know me first as a friend and someone who loves you… before your judgment was affected by the knowledge of your heritage… and your burden," Minato said remorsefully. "I'll understand if you want me to leave you alone, I'll respect your wishes."_

_ "You promised me that you would never leave me." Naruto reminded his father, identical blue eyes meeting each other. "Are you going to go back on your word?"_

_ Minato stared at his beloved son long and hard before smiling softly. He took Naruto's small hands into his large ones and squeezed affectionately. "I never go back on my word. That's not my nindo."_

(End Flashback****)

'_What happened to your nindo, Tou-san?_' Naruto thought to himself sadly. It wasn't Minato's fault but he _had_ left Naruto's side.

"Naruto?" Sarutobi called out in concern as he saw pain flash across his adopted grandson's face.

Naruto quickly snapped out of his reverie. "Sorry, oji-san, I got lost in thought," he apologized. "And as for your question…. I initially felt confused and even a little bit angry, but I forgave him. He had his reasons. If I had been in Tou-san's place, I would have done the same thing."

Sarutobi smiled. Naruto had matured a lot. He was proud of him for understanding and for doing all that he has so far. The heir to the Namikaze and Uzumaki clans would become a fine shinobi; worthy of becoming Hokage.

"Have you told anyone of your heritage?" the Hokage inquired, looking serious.

"Only one person," the young kaze nin admitted, although it had really been Minato who had revealed himself to Gaara.

"Who did you tell?" Sarutobi pressed. He hoped it was someone trustworthy.

"Subaku no Gaara, a Suna nin," the blonde explained.

"The Kazekage's child?" the Sandaime Hokage queried with a raised eyebrow. "Why?"

"I trust him. He's like me," Naruto defended his friend.

The Sandaime Hokage couldn't argue against that. It was true that there was a lot that the two boys had in common: they were both mistreated Jinchuuriki and both were children of Kages. In that context, the Sandaime couldn't begrudge Naruto for telling Gaara.

"As long as he keeps it to himself," the aged nin finally conceded. "Does anyone else know?"

That's when Naruto looked a little unsettled.

"What is it?" the 'Professor' asked, looking concerned.

"The Iwa team figured it out. They confronted me in the forest," Naruto admitted much to Sarutobi's chagrin. What he had feared was coming to pass. He couldn't let them pass the information back to Iwa but he also couldn't do anything to stop them. It could lead to a problem between the two countries again and Konoha really couldn't afford another war at the moment.

"They didn't harm you?" the Hokage queried, scanning the worn out Genin anxiously for any serious injury.

"Surprisingly no… although they made it clear that they intend to see me dead." Naruto remarked.

"I'll have them watched." Sarutobi said solemnly.

"I can take care of myself, you know." Naruto commented.

"I know but I don't want to take any chances." the Sandaime declared.

"Have it your way then." Naruto sighed.

The Sandaime Hokage chose then to move onto the next topic. "When Orochimaru attacked your team… did he do anything to you?" He already knew about Sasuke, of course, but he was worried about what his former student could have done to the son of the person Orochimaru bore such a strong grudge against.

"You mean other than insult Tou-san every chance he got?" Naruto inquired for clarification.

The old man nodded.

"He messed with Kyuubi's seal." Naruto said, lifting up his shirt and jacket to show what the Sannin had done.

"A Five-Prong seal… that must be causing you many problems." Sarutobi realized.

"You have no idea," Naruto replied, thinking of how it had cut off his connection with his father and the Bijuu. "Can you fix it?"

"Unfortunately, I'm not exactly adept as a Seal Master. I wouldn't want to risk making a mistake with your seal and weakening it," Sarutobi replied. "It would be better if I called on Jiraiya to come resolve the matter."

Naruto blinked in surprise. Had he heard right? "Jiraiya? As in Tou-san's sensei?" he questioned.

The Hokage nodded. "He's also your…"

"Godfather, I know," Naruto admitted, earning a surprised look from his surrogate grandfather. "Kakashi-sensei told me."

"He's told you just about everything, hasn't he?" the Sandaime asked wryly.

"Pretty much," Naruto responded with a shrug. "How long do you reckon it would take for Jiraiya to make it here?"  
"It depends on just where he is. It could range from a couple of days to nearly a week." the teacher of the Sannin declared.

"Not in time for the next part of the Chuunin Exams." the blonde realized with chagrin.

"Unfortunately." the Hokage commented. "Do you think you'll be able to manage, Naruto?"

"I'll find a way." Naruto assured the older man. Sarutobi smiled in approval. Naruto's will was amazing.

'_Just wait a little longer, Tou-san… I'll free you soon._'

* * *

A/N: I'm beginning to think perhaps I should make a little spin off thing to show scenes in Guardian Angel that I haven't been able to show in the story yet (like Naruto and Minato's past together, and various other scenes you guys may like to see that don't just have to be past scenes, could just be on-the-side amusing scenes if you like). This way, I could help clear up some mysteries without having to worry about where to incorporate it in the story structure. Tell me what you guys think.


	21. Preliminaries

I'm back with another chapter, I hope you like. I was waiting on getting this chapter out until I was able to solidify my ideas for chapter 21. My original idea (Ino going into Naruto's mind and seeing various memories) dramatically changed, so I hope the new idea will be to your liking when I finally get it up. Enjoy.

**YamiPimpster: welcome on board. I'm glad you're enjoying the story. You started reading this story when I was preparing for my third medical school interview and your reviews totally made my day, so thank you.**

**PropertyoftheMudbloodPrincess: I'm glad you like the story.**

**Nika: I could never forget about this story. I love it **_**way**_** too much. As proof, I've recently got a shit load of plot-heavy ideas for this story. Look forward to it.**

**MadaMag: I had it imagined that while the seal was present, Naruto was unable to enter his mindscape.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

**

Chapter 20: Preliminaries

When Naruto left the Hokage's Office, Iruka was waiting for him with a certain fox at his side.

"Sakuya-chan!" the blonde exclaimed happily as the young kit leapt into his arms. She licked him affectionately. "I missed you too," he laughed.

"I told you I would bring her," Iruka responded with a soft smile, ruffling Naruto's hair fondly.

"I know, but I didn't expect you to bring her so soon," the boy replied, stroking Sakuya's fur.

"Well, what can I say? I wanted to bring the smile back to your face," Iruka declared, scratching the scar over his nose sheepishly.

"You're the best, Iruka-sensei." Naruto declared, beaming. Iruka beamed back. He grew weary as Naruto's face turned sly. "So how are things going between you and Kakashi-sensei?"

Iruka flushed faintly. "Everything's fine. He's a good friend," the Academy teacher replied.

"Just a friend?" the blonde Jinchuuriki pressed, grinning widely.

"O-of course, what else could he be?" Iruka stuttered in embarrassment.

"I was just teasing you, Iruka-sensei," Naruto told the brunette. "I'm just saying… if you ever thought of being something more than friends with Kakashi-sensei, it's fine with me. You two would be good for one another."

"Naruto…" Iruka murmured. "I don't know what to say…"

"Say, 'Thank you, Naruto, I'll follow your advice and ask Kakashi-sensei on a date,'" Naruto intoned, causing his former teacher to blush.

"You're such a brat, Naruto," Iruka replied with no real malice.

"Don't I know it," the blonde replied cheekily, earning an indignant swat from his former teacher.

'_Nii-san better thank me for this,_' Naruto thought to himself. He was playing matchmaker because he wanted to thank his Jounin-sensei and brother figure for helping to cover for him. He knew how much Kakashi was putting on the line for him.

Neither Iruka nor Naruto noticed that they were being watched by none other than Kougyoku Jin.

'_So this Chuunin is important not only to the Namikaze brat but to Sharingan no Kakashi… I can take advantage of this,_' the wicked Iwa nin thought to himself.

* * *

Shikamaru turned as he heard a loud bark and blinked owlishly as he got a lapful of Sakuya. Once he got over his surprise, he couldn't help but smirk.

"Missed me, have you?" he spoke to her fondly, petting her. He'd gotten used to her constant attention. He ignored the 'aww' he received from Ino and Sakura.

"What did the Hokage want to talk to you about, Naruto?" Sakura queried as said ninja joined her and the other passed Genin Teams in the Tower.

"He just wanted me to give a report on the 'incident' in the Forest," Naruto stated, referring to Orochimaru's attack. "It's not often that a rogue Sannin attacks a random Genin team, after all."

"You were attacked by a Sannin?" Shikamaru asked in alarm, having not known the culprit behind the previous attack.

"Did he do anything to you guys?" Chouji queried in concern.

"Well, you saw what happened to Sasuke back there, didn't you?" Naruto pointed out. "Courtesy of a certain snake-teme."

"So he was only after Sasuke-kun?" Ino inquired, worried for the Uchiha. "It's not surprising, though. I mean, Sasuke-kun _is_ the Last Uchiha, after all."

Naruto couldn't help but roll his eyes. With opinions like that, it was no wonder why Sasuke was so arrogant.

"He didn't only attack Sasuke-kun," Sakura corrected Ino's thinking. "He seemed quite interested in destroying Naruto… something about hating his father. He really seemed to have a grudge."

"What is it with you and having people want to kill you for things beyond your control?" Shikamaru asked Naruto with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm cursed," Naruto said flatly. Such was the life of the son of the Yondaime Hokage and Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi no Kitsune. Not that he was ashamed of either of them.

"You guys were really lucky to have made it out of there alive," Chouji remarked, realizing the severity of the situation.

"Don't we know it," both Sakura and Naruto voiced together.

"Do you reckon Sasuke-kun is doing alright, wherever he is?" Ino inquired curiously.

"I'm sure he's fine. Kakashi-sensei is taking care of him," Naruto declared, trusting the silver-haired Jounin to take care of the Cursed Seal. That seemed to assure both Sakura and Ino and they relaxed.

* * *

A little while later, Naruto made his way to greet Team Eight, who had been the first team to arrive at the Tower.

"You guys look like you're doing well," he stated with a smile.

Kiba scoffed derisively. "Of course we are. We're Team Eight after all," he declared.

"As cocky as ever," Naruto remarked with a shake of his head.

"I have every right to be," Kiba stated firmly.

"Keep thinking that," Naruto shot back, causing Kiba to look a little annoyed.

"Are you trying to imply something, dobe?" the dog nin growled, stepping into Naruto's personal space.

"Not at all," was Naruto's flat answer. His nonchalance only served to piss Kiba off further.

He was about to give the blonde a piece of his mind when Hinata spoke up.

"Please stop, Kiba. Naruto-kun doesn't want to cause any trouble," she squeaked, trying to calm him down. It worked, for the most part.

Kiba hmphed. "He's not making it easy to ignore him," he grumbled under his breath.

"I'm not even doing anything," Naruto replied with a raised eyebrow. To think that if he hadn't been under the constant calming influence of his father, Naruto could have turned out as hot-headed as the Inuzuka...

"Something's different about you, Uzumaki Naruto," Shino spoke up, startling everyone. They had almost forgotten that the Aburame was there.

Naruto looked at him skeptically. "Oh?"

"That presence that used to always be around you... it's gone," the taciturn nin reported.

Naruto stiffened. Trust the observant bug user to unintentionally bring up a sore point. "What presence?" he played dumb. It was bad enough that his own team and Team Ten knew about Minato's existence (for the most part). He didn't want anyone else to know about him if he could help it. Minato was _his_. Naruto didn't intend to share his father with anyone... except for Kyuubi and now, Kakashi.

Shino didn't seem entirely convinced by Naruto's innocent act. "You know what I'm talking about," he spoke up.

"No I don't," Naruto countered, beginning to withdraw. His irritation could be clearly seen on his face.

"Quit acting all innocent, dobe. You're well aware of that strange chakra entity that follows you like a lost puppy," Kiba spoke out hotly.

Naruto's eyebrow twitched. "Why don't you just shut your trap and mind your own business?" he asked, temper flaring.

"Did I hit a sore spot, Fox Boy?" Kiba jeered, glad that Naruto's odd cool had broken. That had been more frustrating than Naruto's normal hyperactivity.

"Please don't fight," Hinata tried to act as a mediator. Naruto and Kiba's arguments always tended to get in the way of the time she got to hang out with the blonde. Ever since they had graduated, she hadn't got to see him very much and the times that she did was mostly wasted through Naruto and Kiba's constant arguments. They just couldn't get along and it was beginning to wear away the patient Hyuuga heiress' generous patience. She just wished they could all get along!

That was when another voice burst through the air.

"Why do you hang around all of these losers, Hinata-sama?"

Kiba and Naruto stopped their arguing to focus on the newcomer, who was none other than Neji. He didn't look very impressed with Hinata's company.

"What's your problem, Neji?" Naruto scowled. The genius Hyuuga just refused to be civil. "Why are you always picking on Hinata-chan and who she hangs out with?"

"My problem is _her_," Neji stated vehemently, causing Hinata to recoil in hurt. He stared at her with pure disgust. "Just looking at the heir to the Hyuuga Clan and seeing just how _pathetic_ she really is pisses me off. She's an insult to the entire Clan!"

The pain that Naruto saw in Hinata's eyes sent him over the edge. "You're wrong about her, teme. She's not an insult to the Clan. In fact, she's too _good_ for the Clan. If all of you can't see just who she really is, then you don't deserve her. Just wait and see, Hinata's more than capable of kicking your ass!" he exclaimed.

Hinata looked grateful for Naruto's defense and even a little touched. To see how much faith he had in her was a definite confidence boost for her. It made her pity the entirety of Konoha for not being able to see just how special Naruto really was. He would change the world one way or another through his will alone. She had no doubt about that.

Neji, on the other hand, didn't look very phased over Naruto's exclamation. "Those are just empty words, Uzumaki. Hinata-sama doesn't stand a chance against me... and neither do you," he stated. "It's your destiny to remain losers forever."

Naruto's eyes turned as cold as ice. "I'll show you where you can stick all of that destiny crap of yours," he vowed. One way or another, he and Hinata would change Neji's belief systems, through words or through fists.

Neji scoffed, deciding it was no longer worth his time to talk with the pathetic Genin in front of him. He simply walked away.

"Man, what an ass," Kiba remarked, for once being in complete agreement with Naruto. He really hated how Neji treated his teammate.

"You're telling me," Naruto responded before giving Hinata an apologetic look. "I'm sorry about this, Hinata. I had really hoped we could hang out without any tension in the air, but the teme ruined it."

"It's okay, Naruto-kun," the pale-eyed beauty assured him. "There's always next time."

"There's always that," the blonde agreed. "I'll try to behave better then, I promise."

With that, Naruto bid farewell to Team eight, deciding that it was time to get back to his own team.

* * *

'_Eight teams have passed... no wonder they're having a Preliminary Round,_' Naruto thought to himself as he stood amongst all of the Genin who had passed the second test of the Chuunin Exams.

Gekko Hayate had just finished explaining the nature of the next part of the test and not everyone was pleased... especially with how they all had to fight straight off the bat. Not everyone was fully recovered from their experience in the Forest of Death.

Naruto, in particular, hadn't fully been able to acquaint himself with his new limitations. It would be a difficult situation for him one way or another.

"Sasuke-kun... are you sure you can handle fighting right now? You don't look very good," Sakura stated, looking at her pale-skinned teammate in concern. He hadn't handled the Sealing well at all. His body was still reeling from it.

"I'll be fine," Sasuke assured her gruffly. He didn't need her concern.

"You should still get some rest," Sakura replied, not convinced by his bravado. "You should forfeit for your own good."

Sasuke faced her with a withering glare. "You're annoying, Sakura. I told you I was fine. There's no way that I will forfeit."

Sakura drew back, looking hurt. Naruto glowered at Sasuke.

"Damn it, Sasuke. You could be nicer. She's just worried about you!" Naruto scowled, defending his pink-haired friend.

"She's just wasting her time and energy," Sasuke grunted.

"At least she cares enough to worry about you. Some of us aren't that lucky," Naruto remarked, thinking back to the time before Minato had come into his life.

"Hn," Sasuke replied coldly, turning away from his teammates.

"You've still got a stick up your ass," Naruto muttered under his breath, shaking his head. Sasuke would never change. That Cursed Seal had made him even colder.

"I forfeit," a voice rang out and everyone turned to see Kabuto raising his hand.

'_What's he up to?_' Naruto thought in suspicion as Kabuto formulated a lame excuse for not sticking around. '_He looks perfectly fine._'

He'd have to keep an eye on the bastard.

As no one else forfeited and there were an odd number of contestants, Hayate had to make a new rule.

"These battles will be chosen at random. There will be 11 battles and the one participant who isn't called up will have a free pass into the final exam," the sick shinobi declared.

"That's not very fair," Sakura commented with a small frown.

"That leaves everything to chance. I hope I'm the freebie," Shikamaru mused. If he didn't have to fight, it was all the better.

"Don't be like that, Shika. Actually participating is half the fun," Naruto chirped. The Nara raised an eyebrow.

"'Shika'?" he repeated, causing Naruto to flush.

"Shikamaru's too long, so I shortened it... but if you don't like it..." Naruto began.

"No, you don't need to do that. I kind of like it," Shikamaru quickly said to please the lively blonde.

"Okay..." Naruto replied, almost shyly.

"Aww... they're so sweet," Ino cooed playfully, embarrassing the two in question.

"So sweet they're giving me cavities," Kiba stated sarcastically.

"Shut it, Kiba," Naruto huffed.

They were about to start arguing when they heard Sakura gasp.

"What is it?" Naruto questioned and she pointed to the board that would declare who would go up against who. The Jinchuuriki's expression turned sober.

The first match had been set up.

** Uchiha Sasuke vs. Akado Yoroi

* * *

**

'_I'll be able to beat him easily,_' Sasuke thought confidently. No one could defeat an Uchiha.

Yoroi smiled grotesquely. "I'm going to beat your ass, Uchiha," he declared.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, getting into his fighting stance.

"Begin," Hayate called out and Sasuke lunged for his opponent at a great speed.

"He's going straight for the kill," Naruto mused aloud with a raised eyebrow.

"He has to. With how his body is currently rebelling on him, he can't afford to have a long fight," Kakashi stated as he joined his students on the Observation Deck.

"Do you think he'll be able to pull off a victory in his condition?" Sakura questioned in worry.

"Of course he will! He's Sasuke-kun after all," Ino exclaimed excitedly.

"All of you in Konoha put too much credit onto the Last Uchiha. It's almost equivalent to the hype you once put up for your beloved Yondaime Hokage," a voice rang out.

Everyone looked to see Jin walking up to them.

"Minato-sensei is beyond comparison," Kakashi spoke up faithfully. "Not even Sasuke-kun can hold a candle to him." He knew he should perhaps feel bad for voicing a lack of faith in his student's abilities, but the truth was the truth.

He seemed almost offended that Jin had hinted that there was anything similar between the revenge-driven Uchiha and the just Hokage.

"Is he really?" Jin drawled before his cold eyes raked over Naruto, who stiffened in response. "Or are you just trying to hide the similarities he shares with a certain hidden jewel in your possession?"

Kakashi stepped in front of Naruto protectively. He wouldn't let Jin do anything to him, no matter what. Minato-sensei would never forgive him otherwise... especially with him being indisposed as of now. "What do you want, Kyougyoku?"

"Getting defensive, are we?" Jin smirked. "I just wanted to comment on one of your student's fights. He doesn't look like he's doing very well."

Everyone looked back to the fight and they were surprised to see that Jin was right.

Yoroi had overtaken Sasuke using his most surprising ability.

"He's stealing Sasuke's chakra," Hinata reported, using her Byakugan.

"What a stroke of bad luck," Shikamaru mused, although he was secretly pleased in the darker corners of his heart. It was better that Sasuke got a challenging fight, otherwise the bastard's ego would just get bigger.

Naruto, of course, wouldn't have it. "C'mon, Sasuke-teme. Are you really going to let this bastard get the better of you?"

"Shut up, dobe!" Sasuke yelled as he wrenched himself out of Yoroi's grasp.

"You can't keep away forever," Yoroi taunted the black-haired shinobi.

"Just watch me," Sasuke retorted hotly, Sharingan flaring to life. He started making rapid hand seals. "_Katon: Goukyaku no Jutsu!_"

"You'll have to do better than that!" Yoroi laughed as he dodged the giant fireball. His smile faded as he noticed he could no longer see where the Uchiha was. "Where'd you go?"

At that point, Sasuke phased in front of his opponent, kicking Yoroi up in one powerful move.

'_That was Lee's move!_' Naruto thought indignantly. He couldn't believe Sasuke had ripped off the budding Taijutsu Master's hard work so callously. He sent an apologetic look towards the troubled looking Genin.

"_Shishi Rendan!_" Sasuke called out the name of his new move as he finished Yoroi off with a sequence of well-timed kicks.

As Yoroi didn't get back up, Hayate called out his ruling. "Winner: Uchiha Sasuke!"

Sasuke smirked and looked up at Naruto smugly, only to frown in confusion at the look of anger on the blonde's face. What did he do to piss him off now? '_He must be jealous of my skills,_' he concluded quickly.

"I apologize for my student, Gai. He still hasn't learned proper courtesy when using his Sharingan to copy an ally's abilities..." Kakashi stated, glowering at Sasuke. Sometimes, he really hated the fact that Sasuke _had_ to be on his team. He was more trouble than he was worth.

"No need to apologize, my rival. Sasuke-kun is only expressing his Youth the only way he knows how," Gai responded, although the Uchiha's actions had bothered him.

"Are you okay, Lee-san?" Sakura queried in concern, seeing the distressed look on Lee's face.

Lee put on a brave face and smiled. "I'll be fine, Sakura-san. Sasuke-kun's Flames of Youth are large... I'll just have to make mine burn brighter!"

"You do that, Bushy Brows," Naruto spoke up supportively. He was surprised that Sakura was actually concerned for Lee when she'd been so put off by him before. It looked like Lee's sincere efforts in the Forest of Death had helped her warm up to him.

'_They'd be good together,_' he thought to himself. Lee would treat Sakura much better than Sasuke would. Now if only he could get his teammate to see that.

"You did brilliantly, Sasuke-kun!" Ino complimented her crush as he came up to the Observation Deck.

"Hn," was his simple reply.

"You need a bigger vocabulary," Naruto snarked.

"I have a larger vocabulary than you, dobe," Sasuke retorted. Naruto just rolled his eyes. What a poor comeback...

"You should go and get some rest," Kakashi suggested. Sasuke shook his head.

"I want to see the rest," he declared. He wanted to see what he could learn off everybody else...

"Stubborn brat..." the masked nin muttered under his breath.

"So, who goes next?" Shikamaru wondered.

"I hope it's me!" Lee exclaimed loudly, causing those around him to cringe at the volume.

"That's the spirit, Lee. Let your Flames of Youth burn brightly!" Gai cheered.

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

'_I don't think I'll ever get used to this,_' Naruto thought to himself, averting his eyes from the nauseating sight. Then his eyes fell on the disgusted look on Jin's face. He grinned ferally. "_Then again... it's got its good side._'

"Look, they're deciding on the next match." TenTen stated, quieting everyone down.

**Aburame Shino vs. Abumi Zaku**.

"Alright! Time to have some fun!" the brash Oto nin declared loudly. He leapt down into the arena to wait for his opponent.

Shino was much calmer as he headed for the stairs.

"Good luck, Shino," Naruto said as he passed by. Shino nodded in acknowledgement.

"Took you long enough, slowpoke," Zaku told Shino as he finally arrived in the arena.

"..." Shino didn't grace the other nin with a response.

"Shino's got this fight in the bag," Kiba said faithfully. The Aburame was too good to lose against his hot-headed opponent.

"We shall see," Kin responded, believing Zaku to be the superior shinobi.

In the end, Shino triumphed, defeating Zaku with a brilliant strategy.

'_He'd be a formidable opponent. I should be glad he wasn't mine, given my current condition,_' Naruto thought to himself.

Kiba let out a loud whoop before giving Kin a smug look. "I told you Shino would win!" he hooted.

"Something tells me you would be both a sore loser and a sore winner," Naruto commented, unimpressed by the dog nin's exuberance.

Kiba just glowered at Naruto. "You should just wait and see. I'll kick your ass and we'll see who's the sore loser!"

Naruto rolled his eyes, inciting Kiba's temper more.

Kiba growled and prepared to make good his threat when Hinata quickly moved to appease him.

After that, the Hyuuga heiress made her way to her blonde brother figure.

"Naruto-kun, I'm begging you, don't harass Kiba-kun so much. I know you're still hurt over how he shunned you so suddenly after you two were friends for so long, but Kiba-kun is as important to me as you are. I'd like you two to get along," the pale-eyed beauty pleaded with him.

Naruto looked very reluctant but quickly relented. "Fine..." he conceded. "Only for you."

Hinata smiled gratefully. "Thank you," she stated.

"But if he hurts you, I'll kill him," Naruto stated, understanding the true depth of Hinata's feelings for Kiba.

Hinata only shook her head at the blonde. He wouldn't change.

"We're moving onto the third match now," Kurenai reported as she finished congratulating Shino.

** Haruno Sakura vs. Yamanaka Ino.**

"This can't be good," Chouji murmured as he observed the two rivals glare at one another.

"How troublesome," Shikamaru groaned.

"Prepare to lose, Forehead," Ino told Sakura firmly before looking at Sasuke lovingly. "Be sure to watch me, Sasuke-kun."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, looking decidedly uninterested.

As Sakura passed by him, Sasuke gave her a whispered message. "Be sure to win." She was representing Team Seven... Sasuke wouldn't have her give them a bad name.

Sakura didn't know of his ulterior motives and took it as Sasuke believing in her. She brightened up instantly. She nodded enthusiastically before heading down into the arena.

Naruto stared at Sasuke in annoyance. He hated how Sasuke could so easily play with the girl's emotions. It wasn't fair for her.

As the fight commenced, no one was really impressed by it. The match was more of a cat fight than anything.

"Perhaps I should have actually cracked down on her training," Kakashi mused sheepishly. He had been waiting for her to get a clue about being serious about being a kunoichi but her realization had come a little late.

"You think?" Naruto retorted.

Sakura and Ino appeared evenly matched... up until Ino pulled off a surprising maneuver to trap Sakura using her hair.

"It's over, Forehead!" Ino exclaimed in triumph, feeling that she'd already won. All she had to do was use her jutsu and force Sakura to forfeit.

'_It can't end like this!_' Sakura thought to herself, seeing the horrified look on Naruto's face and the unimpressed look on Sasuke's. She didn't want to disappoint them.

"SHANNARO!" she yelled out at the top of her lungs as she channeled as much chakra as she could to get out of the line of fire. By doing so, she knocked Ino off balance just as she had cast her jutsu.

Ino's _Shitenshin no Jutsu_ missed Sakura completely and hit someone else entirely... one Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

A/N: For the spin off story, it may not come out for a while, but at least, I can get some ideas down for it during the time being. If there are any specific types of scenes you want to see, feel free to suggest. Here are some ideas I have at the moment:

The day after the prologue.

Minato and the Shinigami.

Minato and Kyuubi's first talk.

Naruto's first day in Iruka's class.

Minato and Kushina – you can suggest the type of scenario if you'd like

Sakuya's thoughts

Minato and Kyuubi's experience in Naruto's mind after Orochimaru sealed them

Minato and Orochimaru in past (Hokage nomination?)


	22. Unraveling the Mystery

Hey, I'm back with another chapter. This one was a hard one to write (actually started writing it before I posted chapter 20). Started it one way and decided it wasn't working out, so I took an alternate method, and this one I like a whole lot more. It ended up being a rather large idea so I divided it into two parts to make it easier.

This chapter has a rather dynamic idea inserted within it that separates it from the canon, so I'm hoping it comes out well, especially with this being the first time I've written Madara. He's hard. Tell me what you think.

This chapter's unbeta-ed but hopefully good enough. I was eager to get this chapter out so I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto, although I'd love to.

Chapter 21: Unraveling the Mystery

"Ino's been out of it for a while," Asuma commented, eyeing the unconscious blonde. "She should have regained consciousness by now…"

"I'm sure she's fine, Asuma," Kurenai reassured her fellow sensei. "She knew the risks when she cast that jutsu."

"It cost her the match," Shikamaru pointed out. "Sakura won by default."

'_That's why it doesn't feel like a real victory,_' Sakura thought to herself, dissatisfied. She glanced at Ino guiltily. She didn't mean to hurt her former best friend.

Sakura turned to Kakashi. "Kakashi-sensei… I know that I haven't been giving my training my fullest efforts so far but I promise I'll change. I'll become a better kunoichi… worthy of being Ino's rival," she vowed.

Kakashi gave the pink-haired girl an eye-smile. "I'm glad to hear that," he declared, patting her on the head. "I've been waiting for those words."

Sakura had the grace to look sheepish. She glanced at Naruto, hoping to see his approval but was surprised to see him looking perfectly blank-faced.

"Naruto?" she called, waving a hand in front of his face. He didn't blink. She turned to her sensei with a puzzled frown. "What's wrong with him?"

Suddenly, Ino's long absence made sense.

"You don't think she…" Kurenai began in trepidation.

"It's possible," Asuma remarked. "When she fell, he was in her line of fire."

"This could be trouble," Kakashi voiced everyone's thoughts.

"It's time for the next fight," Hayate interrupted the worrisome discussion before it could escalate.

**Subaku no Temari vs. TenTen

* * *

**

Ino blinked as the light that had flooded her vision when she had cast her jutsu cleared away.

She gasped in horror at the sight in front of her.

She stood in the middle of a large, burned out forest, overrun with snakes.

Just _whose_ mind was this?

'_This isn't Sakura's mind. It can't be,_' Ino thought to herself in distress.

She tried to identify her current host by the chakra but she found it difficult to do so. The chakra she sensed was very unclear. She couldn't place it at all.

The snakes hissed at her viciously, causing Ino to recoil in fear. She wasn't welcome here.

Nevertheless, she wasn't going to back out. As frightening as her current location was, she was determined to explore it. She would never stop wondering over the entire mystery otherwise.

She took a deep breath and started to make her way through the forest, scampering out of the way of any snake that tried to lunge at her. She didn't want to know what would happen if one of them bit her.

Through the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a weak, golden glow. Interest captured, she headed in that direction and was horrified by what she saw.

A giant, white snake with golden slitted eyes was present in a large clearing, wrapped around a pale form.

'_Naruto?_' Ino gasped mentally before she realized that her assumption was wrong. The captured individual wasn't Naruto at all, though he looked alarmingly like him…

Looking closely, she came to understand that she had seen this person before in textbooks and on the Hokage Mountain.

The Yondaime Hokage.

'_What's going on? I thought he was dead!_' Ino thought in absolute confusion. How could the legendary Hokage be in front of her?

He didn't look very legendary trapped in the snake's grasp like that, blue eyes glassy and head tilted to the side with the snake's large fangs buried in his neck.

'_How did he end up like this?_' Ino wondered before her thought process was interrupted as the Yondaime groaned.

"…Naruto…"

'_Why did he call out for Naruto? They can't possibly know each other…_' Ino frowned before the pieces of the puzzle slotted together.

She'd missed her target and lodged herself in the mind of someone in the Tower, who incidentally turned out to be Naruto.

The Yondaime Hokage was imprisoned within the inner depths of said person's mind.

After being attacked by Orochimaru, the _Snake_ Sannin, Naruto had lost his guardian angel.

The Yondaime Hokage _was_ the guardian angel, and therefore, Naruto's father.

"I don't believe it…" she murmured to herself.

How could Naruto be the son of the most powerful shinobi to ever grace the Earth? It was so farfetched…

And yet, the more she thought about it, the more Ino realized it made sense.

Naruto was virtually a clone of the man in front of her and he was much smarter than he let on. She could tell that much. He had clearly inherited his father's genius. Naruto's reaction to Inari insulting the Yondaime and the Iwa nin's unhealthy interest in him all added up as well.

'_I can guess why Naruto never told anyone of his heritage now,_' Ino thought to herself. It had been for his safety. It was a pity, though… she was certain that if people knew whose son he was, Naruto would have been treated much better. Like a Prince, even.

'_Why do the villagers treat him so badly?_' Ino wondered. Now that she was actually paying attention to Naruto's situation, she could see that the treatment he received was too harsh to simply be due to the dislike earned from his pranks.

She broke out of her reverie when she felt a flare of malevolent chakra coming from nearby.

Startled, and a little scared, Ino went to investigate the occurrence.

She found herself standing in front of a cave that was completely blocked off by rocks. She could see small flares of red chakra peeking out of it.

"I-Is somebody here?" Ino stuttered out. There was somebody _else_ in Naruto's mind? Just how much was Naruto hiding?

"Who's there?" a sharp, but slightly muffled, female voice called out from within the cave.

Ino jumped back in surprise. While she had speculated over another presence, she really hadn't expected there to _be_ one.

"Y-Yamanaka Ino," she introduced herself. "Who are you?"

There was a moment of silence before the trapped individual finally spoke up.

"Kyuubi no Youko," the female admitted reluctantly

Ino paled I fear.

Now she understood why all of the villagers avoided Naruto.

"H-how?" she stammered. "I thought that…"

"You thought Minato-kun killed me, is that it?" Kyuubi finished Ino's statement. "You can't kill a Bijuu… you can only seal it."

Realization hit Ino hard. "So the Yondaime Hokage sealed you into his own son?"

"More or less," Kyuubi responded.

'_How could the Yondaime do this to Naruto? Doesn't he care for him? How could he ruin his son's life like this? Does Naruto even know?_' Ino pondered over the situation.

As if reading her mind, Kyuubi answered her questions. She could easily predict what was going through Ino's head. "Minato-kun didn't want to seal me into Naruto… he had to protect Konoha… and he had to help Naruto have the strength he needs to fulfill his difficult destiny. He did what he had to as a father… and as a Hokage, and Naruto understands that."

"He's okay with it? What destiny? Why are you defending the Yondaime? Shouldn't you hate him for imprisoning you?" Ino queried. There was just so much to know… For such a dangerous demon that had nearly destroyed Konoha, Kyuubi was being awfully nice.

"Naruto understands Minato-kun's reasons. He had the time to adjust himself to his status as a Jinchuuriki. Why wouldn't I defend Minato-kun? He didn't imprison me, he freed me. How can I hate him when he welcomed me into his family when I had lost my own?" Kyuubi responded, shocking Ino.

"He freed you? What do you mean by that?" Ino inquired.

"I didn't want to attack Konoha… but I was being controlled," Kyuubi admitted. "Minato-kun had no choice but to seal me away in order to stop me."

Ino was in a state of complete disbelief. The Bijuu had just dumped a bomb on her.

Kyuubi wasn't the true culprit behind the attack? That meant that what everybody believed of that fateful night was a complete and utter lie.

"W-who controlled you?" Ino asked.

"A man that most people believe dead… Uchiha Madara," Kyuubi declared.

"That's impossible," Ino denied. "How could he be alive now? It's been more than eighty years since the last time he was ever seen. He _has_ to be dead!"

"Uchiha Madara is not what he seems. He's as good as immortal and very much alive," Kyuubi replied.

"How can I believe you? You could just be making an excuse to seem innocent!" Ino exclaimed.

Kyuubi sighed. "Fine, don't believe what you hear. But you will believe what you _see_."

"What do you mean?" Ino wondered before a bright light flooded her vision.

* * *

When she was finally able to see again, Ino realized she was no longer in front of the cave.

She was in a hospital room where a beautiful, very pregnant, red-haired woman was currently giving birth. Standing beside her was a harried looking Namikaze Minato.

"Hang in there, Kushina-chan. Naruto's almost out," Minato encouraged his wife, biting back a grimace of pain from the strong grip the lively kunoichi had on his hand.

"AAGH! I'm never letting you touch me again!" Kushina shrieked as another contraction hit her.

"Yes, Dear," Minato replied patiently, love shining in his eyes.

'_This is Naruto's birth,_' Ino realized with wide eyes. '_The night Kyuubi attacked._'

As she continued to watch the couple, she found herself a little envious of the obvious love between them. Sasuke would never look at her the way Minato looked at his wife…

~**Then why do you like him?**~ Kyuubi asked Ino, startling her.

"How are you talking to me? How am I here?" Ino demanded. "And why shouldn't I like Sasuke-kun?"

~**You're in Naruto's mind, so I am capable of holding a mental conversation with you. You're inside one of Minato-kun's memories. You'll get your answers here, so just sit back and observe,**~ Kyuubi responded. ~**Oh, and Uchiha Sasuke is a mentally unstable brat with only revenge on his mind. He'll do **_**anything**_** to achieve his means. He will only hurt you in the end. Think of all that he has done – **_**objectively**_** - and then tell me truthfully if he is worth all of your love and loyalty.**~

Ino wanted to defend her crush from Kyuubi's harsh assessment but the more she thought about it, the more she realized Kyuubi was right.

When she removed her rose-tinted glasses, she realized that Sasuke wasn't all that she and Sakura had made him out to be. He was frightening and heartbreakingly cold. He'd never given her the time of day and always gazed at her with disgust. She would never be happy with him. She would never get a love like Minato and Kushina as long as she dedicated her time on Sasuke.

She was broken out of her upsetting thoughts by the sound of a baby's cry.

Looking up, she saw Taji, Kushina's midwife, holding up the body of a newly born Naruto.

"Congratulations, Hokage-sama, Kushina-sama… it's a healthy baby boy," Taji declared happily.

The mutual looks of joy, love and awe on Minato and Kushina's faces took Ino's breath away. They looked so happy to see their baby brought into the world.

"He's beautiful…" Kushina murmured as she took the now clean baby into her arms.

"I'm a father," Minato intoned as if he had just realized it, tears coming to his eyes. A blinding smile appeared on his face seconds later as he embraced his family.

'_Now I know who Naruto inherited his smile from,_' Ino mused.

The happy atmosphere was shattered when a shinobi burst into the room.

"Hokage-sama, Kyuubi is making its way towards Konoha at a rapid pace!" the shinobi explained.

Both Kushina and Minato looked absolutely horrified at the news.

"Of all of the times…" Minato muttered mournfully as he stood up. "How much time do we have before it reaches Konoha?"

"At most, 30 minutes," the shinobi reported.

Minato cursed. He would have to form a plan to handle the situation quickly.

"Call for every available Chuunin and Jounin. Try to hold the Kyuubi back as long as you can," Minato ordered the shinobi, who quickly ran off.

"What are you going to do, Minato?" You can't kill a Bijuu and turning it away from Konoha could prove to be nothing short of impossible. Kyuubi is too powerful," Kushina declared, trying to help her husband despite the fact that she was utterly exhausted.

"I'll think of something," Minato replied, brows furrowed in concentration. He turned away from Kushina, Naruto, and Taji to contemplate the situation.

Suddenly, he heard a loud cry of pain and a thud. Whirling around, his heart nearly stopped at the sight in front of him.

Taji lay on the floor, dead, while a strange man with an orange mask held Kushina and Naruto hostage.

"I'm sorry, but I can't let you fight Kyuubi, _Yondaime Hokage-sama,_' the man spoke up, saying Minato's title in a condescending manner. "I have too much at stake to let you foil my plans now."

A mixture of emotions transition through Minato's eyes before his mask slammed on: surprise, shock, fear, and anger.

"Let them go," he stated icily, mind whirring with plans to free his two most precious people from the unknown assailant.

The very fact that the man had managed to sneak up on Minato in the first place told a lot about how formidable he was.

"I can't do that, Pretty Boy. You'll have to fight me for their safety," the villain retorted.

The look of pure rage that crossed Minato's face terrified Ino. If Naruto inherited that look from his father, all of his enemies would quake in fear.

"You'll regret putting them at risk," Minato snarled, preparing himself for battle.

"I look forward to seeing what you'll do, Namikaze," the masked man replied, not seeming intimidated whatsoever.

'_This guy's got balls for standing up to the Yondaime Hokage like this,_' Ino mused. A part of her wondered if what Kyuubi told her was right. If the assailant was Uchiha Madara, it would explain his insane confidence. A fearsome shinobi such as him would be able to face Minato on equal grounds.

At the moment, the could-be Madara held an advantage in the form of two vulnerable hostages.

That is, until Kushina pulled off a surprise maneuver as chakra chains came out of her body and wrapped around Madara.

That split second move gave Minato the time he needed to recover his two loves and transport them far away from the threat.

"You did a good job, Kushina," Minato praised his exhausted wife, petting her hair soothingly. "Rest now, I'll take care of everything."

"Will you really?" a deep voice rang out from behind the Hokage, causing his eyes to widen in shock.

He couldn't even turn around when an arm wrapped around his torso, pinning his arms to his side while a hand clasped over his mouth with a vice-like grip.

"You're good, Yondaime, but I'm better," Madara breathed in his prisoner's ear before he teleported both of them away from a horrified Kushina and a bawling Naruto.

* * *

Minato grunted as he was slammed face first into a wall in the middle of what looked to be an abandoned Uchiha home, if the insignia plastered all over was any sign.

He couldn't believe he'd been caught off guard like this... again. His assailant was making him look like an amateur.

Minato hadn't expected him to track him down so quickly, especially considering that the Yondaime had used his Hiraishin.

'_He's skilled with time/space jutsu. He's better than me, perhaps even better than the Nidaime Hokage. Add Kyuubi into the mix, and there's only one person he __**can**__ be…_' Minato thought. "Why have you brought me here?" he demanded aloud.

"You know very well why I brought you here, _Minato-kun,_" his captor replied smugly. "By now, you've most certainly realized who I am."

"Don't address me so familiarly!" Minato stated sharply, head-butting the masked man so hard that his mask broke. Minato saw stars.

"Insolent child," the villain snarled, tossing the dazed Hokage away from him forcefully as he went to deal with his shattered mask.

'_That was a reckless move,_' Minato thought to himself as he recovered all of his mental faculties. '_I've spent too much time around Kushina._'

He glanced up and couldn't help but gape at the sight in front of him.

Seeing that grotesque, aged face in front of him made Minato realize that all of his suspicions were right.

"That shocked look doesn't become you, _Minato-kun,_' the Uchiha patriarch declared, mocking Minato's outrage over his familiarity.

"Uchiha Madara…" Minato voiced the name as if he was trying to process the information.

Ino was equally horrified. She couldn't believe that Kyuubi had been right. The founder of the Uchiha clan _was _alive. But how?

~**Now you've seen the truth,**~ Kyuubi told Ino. ~**Are you willing to believe me now?**~

'_Wait…_' Ino stated. '_I want – no, I __**need**__ to see the rest of this._' She had to know how Minato went from being at Madara's mercy to saving all of Konoha.

~**Are you sure?**~ Kyuubi pressed. ~**It may ruin the image you have about your precious Uchiha.**~

'_I don't care,_' Ino blurted out and she was surprised to find that it was the truth. Solving the mystery behind Kyuubi's attack was far more important than her crush on Sasuke.

~**Have it your way,**~ Kyuubi conceded, her voice fading away.

"What do you want?" Minato asked Madara as he got back to his feet. Madara wouldn't be an easy opponent. He'd have to figure out a way to defeat him… he would make Madara talk until he found his strategy.

"I want a lot of things," Madara declared bluntly. "The destruction of Konoha, death to the Senju, revenge against my clan for betraying me… and the Namikaze down on your knees before me."

"…What?" Minato gasped, eyes wide. He'd expected everything else but the last one… Madara hadn't spoke of him as the Yondaime, but as a Namikaze. What did he have against his fallen clan?

Madara looked amused by Minato's confusion. "I almost forgot… you're an orphan, aren't you? The last remnant of a once great clan. You never learned of your family's history. How sad…" he mocked. "Shall I fill you in?"

Having found his way to get Madara to talk, Minato encouraged it. "Please do," he responded simply, eyes narrowed.

Madara chuckled. The Yondaime Hokage amused him. "I'll indulge your curiosity this once," he conceded as if he was doing Minato a favor. "Have you ever wondered why, while you were growing up, you always had the eyes of the Uchiha clan on you?"

Minato's brow furrowed as he thought over what Minato said. He was completely right… but how did he know?

"I've been watching you too, you know," the older man answered the silent question.

'_That's not creepy at all,_' Ino mused sarcastically. It looked like Naruto wasn't the only one who suffered from crazed stalkers…

"Why?" Minato frowned. It just didn't make any sense.

"The Namikaze and Uchiha clans have a long history together, just like the Uchiha and the Senju… one filled with anger and betrayal. You see, your clan was a selfish group. You all possess an angel's beauty but have hearts as cold as ice. Your clan has chakra that has the ability to soothe the cursed chakra of the Uchiha and put an end to the insanity that threatens us all. Your clan… could have _saved_ mine, but you turned your backs to us and kept your gift to yourself. Having no other choice, we decided to take it by force," Madara explained, barely hidden rage and bitterness tainting his voice.

'_That would explain Sasuke-kun's fixation with Naruto,_' Ino realized. Naruto's Namikaze-born chakra attracted the Uchiha like a moth to a flame. Hearing this part of the Uchiha history was allowing Ino to see how _not_ perfect the clan really was.

"You speak as if our chakra is rightfully yours. My clan had every right to deny you," Minato spoke with narrowed eyes. He quickly dodged as Madara lunged for him. There was no way he was going to let the deranged, cyclopean, possibly pedophilic, Uchiha get in grasping range again.

"It is," Madara spoke fanatically. "The Namikaze, all of you, belong to the Uchiha! We tried to make peace through marriage, but again, you shunned us. Your bride ran away with a fucking Senju! If she had married my brother, he could still have been alive! I wouldn't have needed to take his eyes from him… Having had enough of the injustice, we slaughtered you, all of you! Only a few managed to escape… out of our good will, hoping that one day, the newer generation would be more giving. Yet… you're still as selfish as you once were before! If I can't have you, no one will!"

'_He's a total mad man!_' both Minato and Ino thought in alarm. Madara was placing an entire clan's 'culpability' on Minato… Ino didn't think that this would go very well. The selfishness of the Uchiha clan, Madara especially, was really beginning to disillusion her…

"So you plan to kill me because my clan refused to submit to yours?" Minato pressed, beginning to formulate a plan as he continued to dance out of Madara's grasp. The Uchiha had granted him a way to find an opening through his monologue. Now all he had left to do was execute it… He slowed down slightly, making it appear as if he was giving Madara the moment he needed to take hold of him.

"No, I'll force you to take the burden that your ancestors ran away from!" Madara exclaimed as he managed to grab Minato by the hair and force him to meet his eye, Sharingan activated.

Ino could only watch in horror as she saw wisps of golden chakra escape Minato's body through his eyes and mouth, entering Madara's own.

"I've got you, Yondaime," the villain smirked, staring down at his prey maliciously.

He was shocked when Minato's gold-tinted blue eyes sharpened with defiance as he snapped out of the spell.

"Hardly," Minato growled before he thrust a Rasengan into the surprised Madara's chest with as much force as he could. It had left the Uchiha with no time to go intangible as his body was still integrating the little amount of chakra he had managed to steal.

Madara snarled in pain as he backed away, pressing a hand against his chest to stem the blood flow. "Bastard… you _let_ me catch you," he realized.

Minato smirked deviously. "Don't underestimate me," he said flatly.

"I won't make the same mistake again," Madara declared as he turned intangible. "You will pay for this one day, Namikaze. I promise you that."

"You can try," Minato replied sternly. He would be ready.

Before he could attack again, Madara retreated. He'd delayed Minato long enough…

'_I'll make you regret this, Yondaime,_' Madara thought to himself. He'd let himself get greedy at the feel of the enticing chakra swirling through Minato's body. The fact that he'd fallen for such a juvenile trap pissed him off. Soon… he would make Minato suffer for the insult.

Minato had no choice but to let Madara escape. He had a bigger problem to deal with: Kyuubi

* * *

A/N: I think I made Madara really deranged and the Uchiha out as thieves of more than just jutsu, but it mixes things up, so I figured it would make an exciting amendment to the way things are in canon. I wish the fight had turned out more spectacularly but they really had no time for that sort of thing.

I'm thinking of having a chapter in the side story to further explain the entire history thing, maybe put it in Madara's point of view. Hope you like.


	23. Mystery Solved

Spring Break seems to do wonders for my story productivity, so here I am with another chapter all ready for you: the conclusion of Ino's time in Naruto's mind.

**BrokenSexedUpBloodyKitten: **Unfortunately, Ino can't free Minato. She can defeat the smaller snakes but the big one that has Minato is far out of her scope. Don't worry Minato will be saved soon.

**Karishiana**: I both like and dislike Sasuke. I like the 'good' Sasuke, but from the start of the story, I set him up as bastard!Sasuke, so I'm sticking with that way of characterizing him in this story. In another story, I might do something differently. (actually have one planned out using good!Sasuke in the making).

**HikariNoTenshi-San**: I have to say I love the way you think. You got me totally hyped up when I saw what you pointed out in your review. It does make an odd sort of sense, doesn't it? Tying Heaven, Earth, and Hell together with these three clans. Now I wonder what we consider the Uzumaki clan *snerk* It would be fun to use that in the history of the clans in the side story, what do you think?

**Wolfenden**: You'll just have to see, won't you?

**CreatedByInsanity**: I'm glad you chose to give the story a chance. Minato's in the seal, trapped like Kyuubi, just a bit differently. I showed him in the chapter, didn't I?

**Hitsugayatoushirou1220**: Happy Birthday! I'm glad you liked the chapter.

**Kyuubiforevr**: I don't think I've ever had someone use the word 'creepy' so much with any of my chapters before, but I have to admit, it was pretty creepy when writing it too. Madara came out a lot more deranged than I'd previously imagined. You'll see more of that later… Poor Minato…

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 22: Mystery Solved

Minato rushed back to where he'd left Kushina and Naruto. Unfortunately, the sight wasn't as comforting as he had hoped.

Kushina lay on the bed, looking very pale and breathing heavily. The sheets underneath her were drenched with blood.

"M-Minato…" she stuttered out with relief as she caught sight of him. She was glad he was safe.

'_What's wrong with her?_' a concerned Ino inquired.

~**Complications at birth that went unchecked by Madara's attack,**~ Kyuubi replied gravely.

"Kushina," Minato murmured, eyes shining with worry.

"W-what are you doing here, bastard? You need to deal with Kyuubi," the red-haired woman stated. "You're the Hokage."

"But…" Minato protested. He didn't want to leave his wife in this state.

"I'll still be here when you return," Kushina promised. "I'm way to stubborn to go out like this."

Minato managed a small, sad smile. "Too true…" he agreed. "I'll finish this as quickly as I can."

"You better," Kushina replied. "Now go."

Minato nodded before he used Hiraishin to get to the village.

* * *

'_Where are you, Minato?_' Sarutobi wondered as he commanded the shinobi forces to hold back Kyuubi's approach. He was getting _way_ too old for this…

There was a distinct yellow flash and many of the shinobi turned to see the telltale signs of their Hokage arriving on the battlefield. The Yondaime was perched on one of the spikes of his own stone head.

"Took you long enough…" Shikaku muttered at the sight of his friend. "Troublesome blonde."

'_Funny…. Shikamaru likes to call Naruto that too,_' Ino mused to herself.

~**Serves to show how history repeats itself in a way,**~ Kyuubi added her two cents.

'_Wait a minute, the Yondaime and Shikaku-ji-san weren't…_' Ino began, seeming a little disturbed at the thought.

~**No, they never held feelings for each other the way Naruto and Shikamaru do,**~ Kyuubi reassured Ino. ~**They were just very good friends.**~

Ino breathed a sigh of relief. It would have been weird otherwise. She had no problem about Shikamaru and Naruto but thinking of her dad's best friend like _that_ wasn't a welcome idea.

The sight of their Hokage visibly raised the hope and morale of all of the shinobi present.

This was Minato's greatest strength as Hokage. As skilled as he was, what everyone treasured most about him was his ability to inspire everyone around him. Ino marveled over it.

'_Naruto definitely inherited that from him,_' she thought.

Kyuubi turned to face Minato, sensing a new threat. Snarling, the Bijuu aimed a devastating blast at the Hokage.

Minato didn't even flinch in fear as the devastating attack approach him. He just brought up one of his kunai and used his time/space jutsus to divert the blast elsewhere.

'_I've got to get Kyuubi away from the village,_' Minato plotted before making a series of hand seals as he summoned GamaBunta.

"Why have you called me here, Minato?" the Toad Boss queried before he saw the Bijuu. He figured out what Minato wanted. "You ask a lot of me, Hokage-gaki."

"Just trust me, Bunta," Minato urged.

"Fine," the giant toad responded reluctantly. "But you owe me."

"I know," Minato replied with an apologetic smile as he got onto GamaBunta's head.

"I won't be able to hold him back for long," the Toad Boss warned.

"It will be enough," Minato assured his summon, eyes glowing with determination.

"If you say so," GamaBunta replied before lunging for Kyuubi, pinning her down with his weight.

Kyuubi snarled ferociously and began to struggle. She didn't appreciate the assault.

"Whatever you plan to do, Minato, hurry up!" the toad exclaimed, straining to keep the Bijuu subdued.

"I'm on it," the Hokage reported as he set up his next jutsu. This was going to take a lot of chakra…

In a large flash of light, Minato was gone… and so was Kyuubi.

* * *

'_Wow… he took you along for the ride?_' Ino commented in awe.

~**An impressive feat, I must admit,**~ Kyuubi conceded, smirking to herself. She had picked a fine mate.

Minato and Kyuubi reappeared on the outskirts of Konoha and in that time, the Hokage had retrieved Kushina and Naruto.

"Kushina, I know it's asking a lot but could you…" Minato began before Kushina complied to his request without needing to hear the rest.

Chains burst out of the red-haired woman and trapped Kyuubi where she stood.

"I've got your back," Kushina told her husband, giving him a shaky smile. "What's your plan?"

"You're not going to like it," Minato replied, hair shadowing his eyes.

Kushina frowned. "Tell me," she ordered.

Taking a deep breath, Minato conveyed his idea.

"I intend to seal Kyuubi… after splitting it in two. The Yin chakra into myself, and the Yang chakra into Naruto."

'_He split you in two?_' Ino voiced in surprise.

~**Yes, it was a smart decision. Neither he nor Naruto would have been able to handle the entirety of my chakra at this point in time. He wanted to spare Naruto the full burden until Naruto was older and strong enough to withstand it. Minato's intention was to take my Yin chakra with him to the grave, stuck inside the Shinigami's stomach.**~

'_I take it that didn't go according to plan?_' Ino remarked. '_Considering the Yondaime Hokage is not where he's supposed to be._'

~**It didn't,**~ Kyuubi agreed. ~**The Shinigami threw a wrench in those plans.**~

"You can't be serious!" Kushina protested Minato's decision. "You intend to turn yourself and our son into Jinchuuriki? How can you think this is a good idea? You'll die and our son… he'll be alone and subjected to a cursed life. Do you really want that?"

"Of course I don't!" Minato exclaimed, surprising his wife with his vehemence. He was never one to show such strong emotions openly. Tears appeared in Minato's eyes before he diverted his face away from Kushina. "I want us to be a family, Kushina. I want Konoha to be safe. I want Naruto to have a normal, happy life… but we can't have that. Not now."

"Why not?" Kushina demanded.

"Because _he's_ still out there," Minato stated. "He's a danger to us all. In the future, he will return and I want to ensure that Naruto will be strong enough to survive. That is my job as a father. He may hate me for it… but I will do everything in my power to protect him, even sell my soul."

Kushina deflated as she saw Minato's reasoning. "Why does it have to be you? I'm dying anyways… let _me_ do it. Naruto will need his father."

"You don't have enough chakra to do it," the Hokage pointed out. It was taking everything out of the woman to restrain Kyuubi.

Kushina looked devastated and Minato moved to comfort her.

"Everything will be alright, my love. We'll get to see our son again. I'll make sure of it," he promised, planning to incorporate it somehow in the seal.

Speaking of the seal… he would have to make sure to add something else to it too… he wasn't going to let any of the power-hungry Uchiha come after his son. They wouldn't be able to steal his chakra like Madara had tried with him. He would be untouchable… and the only way to do that… was to seal away the Namikaze-born chakra, to hide it from sight until Naruto was fully capable of using it and preventing anyone from taking it from him.

Eyes hardening, he stood up to start the sealing. "_Shiki Fuujin,_" he called out after he made the necessary hand seals.

Ino gasped in horror as the Shinigami appeared behind Minato. '_That can't be what I think it is, can it?_'

~**It is. Technically speaking, the only ones who should be able to see the Shinigami are the one doing the sealing and the one being sealed. However, as you are viewing a memory, you're able to see him as well,**~ Kyuubi explained.

'_I wish I didn't,_' Ino thought. She'd have nightmares about him for _weeks_.

Ino winced in sympathy as the Shinigami's arm ran through Minato's stomach and latched onto Kyuubi, siphoning her Yin chakra into Minato's body.

Minato let out a pained moan, trying to stifle the excruciating pain he was going through. His body didn't appreciate the malicious chakra coursing through it. Now he looked like he was dying too.

~**You don't need to watch anymore,**~ Kyuubi urged Ino. This wasn't something someone as young as her should see.

'_I need to,_' Ino responded. It was horrifying but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the Yondaime Hokage's last stand.

Kushina groaned as she had to readjust her binds as Kyuubi shrank. She was barely hanging on.

"Just bare with this a little while longer, Kushina," Minato pleaded, hating to see her in pain. He moved stiffly as he forced his rebelling body to return to her side to collect his slumbering son. "I'm going to perform the 'Eight Trigrams Seal' now."

Creating the ceremonial altar, Minato placed Naruto in the cradle as he began to cast his jutsu.

"Your life will be hard, Naruto… forgive me for that," Minato spoke as he worked. "Just know that we love you more than anything else. No matter what anyone may tell you… you're loved. Never forget that."

Now Ino understood the full depth of Minato's sacrifice as he gazed down at his son with tear-filled eyes. "Goodbye, Naruto," he bid the baby farewell. "_Fuuin._"

* * *

A bright light filled the air and Ino found herself back in Naruto's mind.

After seeing all of that, her entire world view had been altered.

"Yondaime-sama… he did everything for Naruto and the village… to protect our future. I knew he was a hero, but I never understood just how much he gave up for us. What we all know is a lie," she muttered to herself, processing the situation.

"Are you happy now that you've got the truth?" Kyuubi inquired.

"How can I be happy having seen such a tragedy? One man ruined any chance of Naruto living happily with his family… and Naruto suffers because of it because the villagers are too blind to see the truth! How unjust is that? It makes me so angry!" Ino raged.

She was surprised when Kyuubi began to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" she frowned.

"I'm simply glad, that's all… to know you're not the type to turn your back to the truth. Can I trust you to support Naruto now? He has a difficult destiny ahead of him. He will need all of the help that he can get." The Queen of Demons commented.

"I'll do what I can," Ino promised before looking ashamed of herself. "But I've been nothing but horrible to Naruto so far… will he accept my friendship?"

"You'd be surprised. Naruto's very forgiving. As long as you are sincere in your efforts to befriend him…" Kyuubi remarked.

"Do you really think so?" Ino inquired hopefully.

"I do. He forgave me, didn't he?" Kyuubi confirmed. Ino smiled. She was hoping for the chance to redeem herself to Naruto. She would make up for everything that she had done. She wasn't like the other villagers. She knew the difference between a demon and its container. She would prove to Naruto that she was honestly sorry… and she knew just where to start.

"What are you doing?" Kyuubi asked as Ino began to force the rocks away from the cave entrance.

"More than he needs his friends, more than he even needs Shikamaru… Naruto needs the two of you. He'll never love anyone more than you and his father. The least I can do… is to try to bring all of you back together. I can't save you… but at least I can help speed up the process!" Ino explained, eyes burning with passion.

"…You're something else," Kyuubi remarked, voice filled with admiration. Ino had really shaped up after having her eyes opened. She had a feeling she could really warm up to the no-longer-a-fan-girl kunoichi.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Ino grunted as she continued to clear the entrance.

"I'll help you from this side," Kyuubi decided before there was a flare of her chakra. Ino yelped, startled, as some of the chakra grazed her and seeped into her skin. She quickly relaxed. The chakra really didn't hurt her… it felt rather warm, actually. Not letting it hinder her, Ino continued to assist Kyuubi. The rocks began to shake and dislodge as the Bijuu rammed into that which trapped her.

"Now we're talking!" Ino cheered in triumph as the rocks got easier to move.

With their combined efforts, the barrier was demolished in no time.

"F-finally," Ino panted as the last of the rocks were moved aside.

"You did a good job," Kyuubi stated as she walked out. "What?" She wondered why Ino was gaping at her.

"You look so human," Ino commented. "For the most part."

Kyuubi smirked. "It's easier to move around like this," she admitted before giving Ino a sly wink. "Plus, Minato-kun likes me better this way."

Ino began to splutter. "Y-you mean that you and the Yondaime…?"

Kyuubi laughed. "Not quite yet," she pouted before grinning. "But we will be."

Ino couldn't help but admire Kyuubi's confidence. It looked like Naruto wasn't the only whirlwind around.

"You should go back now," Kyuubi told her. "You've been here long enough. I'll go save Minato-kun from the evil clutches of that wretched snake." It totally figured that Minato ended up being the damsel-in-distress and she was his knight-in-fiery-armor.

"Good luck," Ino told the kitsune before she dispelled her jutsu.

'_Interesting girl,_' Kyuubi thought before turning her attention to the flickering golden light. '_I'm coming for you, my wayward mate…_'

* * *

"What a horrible match up," Shikamaru winced in sympathy as TenTen was so quickly defeated by Temari. "A weapons mistress against a wind mistress… the winner was clear from the start."

"Fret not, dear TenTen-san," Lee tried to cheer his teammate up. "You are still the most youthful kunoichi I know… aside from Sakura-chan of course!"

Sakura flushed in the background, both embarrassed and flattered.

People turned away from the weapons mistress and her rambunctious teammate when Ino woke up with a gasp and Naruto snapped out of his trance, looking very groggy.

Kakashi instantly went to his younger brother's side while Team Ten focused their attention on Ino.

"Are you alright, Ino? You're not hurt, are you?" Asuma asked his subordinate, eyeing for anything odd. He didn't know what to expect from her having been inside a Jinchuuriki's mind… especially for so long. "We were going to call your father in if you'd remained unconscious for any longer."

"I'm fine…" Ino responded, looking a little disoriented. Her eyes fell on Naruto, who was looking at her curiously. Without another word, she stood up and approached him with a serious look on her face.

Everybody watched the two of them with bated breaths, not knowing quite what to expect.

Ino ended up surprising them all when she fell to her knees in front of the blonde.

"I'm sorry!" she exclaimed loudly, tears streaming from her eyes. "Please forgive me… I've been such a bitch! I didn't know! I am _so_ sorry!"

She felt so horrible for everything… buying into the adult's hatred like that. Naruto didn't deserve any of it.

That solved the mystery for the Jounin. She clearly knew… but at the same time, she didn't seem to fear Naruto over it. That was a good thing at least.

'_The question is… just how __**much**__ does she know?_' Kakashi thought to himself. Does she know about the Yondaime?

Alarmed and concerned over Ino's hysteria, Naruto quickly helped her to her feet. She immediately threw herself into his arms, pleading for forgiveness.

'_She's traumatized,_' Shikamaru realized in shock. Just what had she seen inside of Naruto's minds? His eyes fell on the blonde male who was desperately trying to comfort his fellow blonde. He was becoming more of an enigma with every passing day.

"Take her outside, Naruto, maybe that will help," Kakashi suggested, realizing that the conversation that was about to take place was best done away from everybody.

Naruto nodded in agreement before coaxing Ino to follow him outside of the arena.

"Are you sure it's a wise idea to send him away? He may get called up soon," Kurenai pointed out.

"He's safe for the time being," Kakashi responded simply, gesturing to the board which had set up the next match.

**Subaku no Kankurou vs. Akiyama Osamu**

"Two Suna nin in a row? This will be interesting," Asuma mused, once he was certain that Ino was in good hands. The Suna nin so far appeared to be very formidable. He was looking forward to seeing what the other two were capable of.

Jin gave Osamu a stern look. He better win this match… he was representing Iwa, after all.

* * *

Naruto took Ino to a small hallway within the arena and sat her down. "What's got you all upset?" he asked her in concern. "Why are you asking me to forgive you? There's nothing to forgive."

Ino looked up at Naruto in surprise. "'Nothing to forgive?'" she repeated. "How can you say that when I've been so horrible to you? If I were in your place, I would hate me!"

Naruto glanced at Ino, in amusement. "Just seeing how sorry you are is enough to show me that you feel remorse for it. I don't blame you for your actions. You were just falling in with what the adults' beliefs," he remarked.

"Their beliefs are wrong," Ino declared. "How could they ever think that you're a monster? How can they be so blind?"

Naruto looked down for a moment, contemplating how to answer that question. When he'd first learned about the Kyuubi, he had wondered the very same thing. With time, however, he was able to understand their reasons a bit better.

"Grief makes people irrational," he pointed out. "So many people lost their family and friends that day… they needed a scapegoat as a way to cope with their pain and who better than me? I was the constant reminder of what happened that day and that made people angry."

"That's still no excuse for what was done for you," Ino argued, pissed off with all of the adults. She didn't know what to believe anymore. "If it wasn't for your father…"

"If it wasn't for him, I would be dead," Naruto admitted. "Or at least a lot more different that who I am today. I don't know what I would do without him." His eyes dimmed as he thought of his absent father.

"You'll see him again," Ino stated with conviction, reading his emotions well enough now that she knew to look past his mask. "Now that _she's_ free, I mean."

Naruto looked up at Ino in surprise. "She?" he repeated in confusion.

Ino gave Naruto an impish look. "You know who I mean… she's the feisty vixen who lusts after your father," she whispered in his ear and realization hit Naruto like a brick.

He stared at Ino with wonder. "You mean…"

"I freed her. She was the less guarded of the two of them. She'll be able to save your father with no trouble," Ino spoke up confidently. "It was the least I could do after everything."

"I-I don't know what to say," Naruto stuttered, overcome with emotion.

"Just say 'Thank you, Ino. You're the best,' and we'll call ourselves even," Ino joked and Naruto smiled.

"Thank you," he responded honestly before pulling Ino into a tight hug. "You have no idea how much this means to me."

Ino was surprised by his affection but quickly warmed up to it and returned the embrace. "Actually… I think I do," she responded, remembering how far Minato had gone to ensure Naruto's safety from the moment of his birth. She knew how precious they were to one another.

Neither of them noticed Shikamaru watching them, fighting back the slight sting of jealousy at seeing their closeness. A simple mistake had allowed Ino to worm her way past Naruto's tight defenses faster and more efficiently than any of Shikamaru's sincerest efforts. Where was the fairness in that?

* * *

A/N: I have a question for you. I'm going to show the entire Kyuubi saving Minato scene, but would you rather see that in the mainstream story or the side story? I have no problem doing it either way but I wanted to see what you guys consider more popular a choice.

Also, I'm trying to come up with an idea for a SaiNaru story to cheer up one of my friends. Do you guys have anything you guys would like to see in such a story? Trying to pinpoint _one_ plot to work with but it's harder than it looks. *sheepish*


	24. Back to the Exams

Sorry it took a while to get this chapter out, I had to put it aside in favor of a couple of projects. In the end, the decision to have the scene in the main story won over the side story but I made sure to keep it relatively short. If anyone wants to have a further look into a part of it, that will be in the side story for your own pleasure. It all depends on you though.

Thanks for all of the ideas you guys gave me for SaiNaru. I really appreciate it.

**Bookimp**: I know, isn't he? But a part of what makes him fun is the growth he goes through. In the end, I swear he almost seems to understand some people's emotions better than themselves (or that could just be my perception).

**Shinigami**: I'll have to think on Ino telling anyone. It depends on how things go.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 23: Back to the Exams

"This match should be interesting," Jin told Baki. "I hope your student is ready for what he's up against."

"He always is," Baki replied confidently. He had absolute faith in Kankurou's abilities. All three of the Kazekage's children had been brilliantly trained. They would be difficult to defeat in battle.

"You Suna shinobi really piss me off…" Jin muttered under his breath, irritated that he hadn't managed to shake Baki at all. He was too damn confident.

Everyone's attention was grabbed when Ino and Naruto returned to the arena together, hand in hand.

"Did you decide to ditch Shikamaru and go for Ino instead?" Asuma asked Naruto teasingly, noticing their new closeness. He barely managed to notice the sour glare Shikamaru gave him. The lazy genius was far from amused from the jibe.

"Don't be ridiculous, Asuma-sensei!" Ino told her teacher. "We're just friends. Besides, I doubt I could compete against Shikamaru in Naruto's eyes."

"Ino," Naruto whined, flushing in embarrassment.

"What? I was just telling the truth," the other blonde replied nonchalantly as if she hadn't just admitted Naruto's feelings for everyone to hear.

"It looks like you've completely recovered from your hysteria," Chouji commented. "That's great. Thanks, Naruto."

"It was nothing," Naruto replied. "She was just a little shaken up by everything…"

"I'm glad you're okay," Sakura told her former best friend. "I was worried about you. I was afraid my actions had harmed you worse than I'd previously thought possible."

"I'm fine, Sakura," Ino replied. "Thanks for the concern."

Sakura was surprised to hear Ino call her by her name instead of making a jibe against her like she'd expected her to. She watched curiously as Ino approached her. "Is there something wrong, Ino?" she inquired.

"I wanted to apologize to you too," Ino told the pink-haired girl. "I shouldn't have let such a petty rivalry get in the way of our friendship."

This shocked everyone. Ino was openly admitting that the rivalry they had over Sasuke as 'petty'? Now _that_ was a major change of heart. Didn't Ino see Sasuke as God's gift to women everywhere?

Even Sasuke, though he hid it well, was intrigued by her apparent lack of interest in him.

"Does that mean you're giving up on Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked incredulously. This was the last thing she'd expected from Ino, the surprise evident on the pink-haired girl's face.

"Gods yes," Ino breathed out; making Naruto smirk in amusement at how eagerly she'd said that. "I could do better." Sasuke almost felt insulted. How did she go from worshipping the floor he walked on to thinking he was lower than dirt?

It may be wrong to judge Sasuke based off his ancestor's actions but considering he was reflecting the same emotions towards Naruto that Madara had towards Minato, Ino didn't want anything to do with him. She hoped that she would be able to do the same with Sakura too… She didn't want the other girl getting hurt by him either.

"Who's better than Sasuke-kun?" Sakura frowned.

Ino gazed at the boys in the arena curiously.

Chouji… he was really sweet but she didn't know if she'd be able to see him in a romantic light.

Shikamaru had his eyes on Naruto, meaning that the blonde was out of the running as well.

Kiba… was _way_ to rash for her tastes. She doubted that they would be able to get along long enough for such a connection to occur.

Shino… too creepy.

Lee… he was sweet but he liked Sakura. Ino decided that she would try to pair them up. Lee may not be the most aesthetically pleasing but his heart was in the right place and she figured that was what matters.

Neji… he was a definite looker, all right. He was on par with Sasuke himself, but the stick up his ass was almost as big as Sasuke's as well. Better to not consider him for her own sanity.

Gaara… he was Naruto's friend and now that she knew Naruto's secret, his comments about him being like the redhead all made sense. Gaara was a Jinchuuriki too. He was cute enough but she didn't really know him too well to make any judgments. The same went for his older brother, who wasn't really her type at all.

She didn't even bother to consider the Iwa nin. As Naruto's natural enemies, they were completely off limits.

"… Unfortunately, the only ones good enough are taken," Ino remarked. The two who had ranked highest on her list had been Shikamaru and Naruto, but they were too caught up with each other to even be considered in the running.

"Too bad," Sakura replied, sounding amused by Ino's disappointment. Now that the entire Sasuke situation was no longer between them, she realized that their fractured friendship would begin to heal.

"If you all are finished with that disgustingly emotional display, my student is about to kick that Suna boy's ass," Jin declared grouchily.

"So impatient, Kyougyoku. That could get you in trouble one day," Kakashi drawled, dislike clear in his voice. Jin just glared.

'_Just wait until I have your little lover boy at my mercy. We'll see who gets the last word then, Hatake,_' Jin thought sourly. All the people tied with the accursed Yondaime pissed him off.

* * *

Kankurou smirked at Osamu as they both took their place in the fighting arena. The Iwa nin just looked back at him with a somber expression.

"Ready to lose?" the Suna nin declared cockily.

Osamu didn't grace Kankurou with a response, which put the puppeteer out.

"You're no fun," the makeup-wearing shinobi grumbled before turning to Hayate. "Are you going to start the match or what?"

"Begin," Hayate stated blandly before moving out of the way to let the two opponents duke it out.

Almost immediately, Osamu made his move. "_Doton: __Dory__ū__heki_!"

A huge wall of Earth shot up on either side of Kankurou and crushed him.

"That was quick," Kiba remarked, with a raised eyebrow.

"It's not over yet," Temari replied confidently. She knew Kankurou had a trick up his sleeve.

She was proven right when Osamu pulled back the wall in order to see if he'd done Kankurou in or not. What they saw within the space the puppeteer was in was not Kankurou… it was his puppet.

Osamu's eyes widened, trying to find where the real Kankurou was, but it was too late. Bandages wrapped around him from behind, pinning him down and preventing him from using any more jutsu.

"I told you that you would lose," Kankurou told Osamu smugly before Karasu leapt at Osamu, stabbing him with a poisoned senbon.

"Damn it," Osamu cursed. He'd gotten sloppy. He hadn't expected Kankurou and his puppet to switch places like that. With a groan, he passed out as the poison began to work through his veins.

"Winner: Subaku no Kankurou," Hayate reported with an air of finality.

Jin glowered at his fallen student. How could he humiliate Iwa like this? He would definitely be getting it once he was out of the hospital.

"What was it that you were saying about your student defeating mine?" Baki taunted Jin. Turnabout was fair play after all.

Jin just scowled.

"Your brother is pretty good, for having such a bad attitude," Naruto told Gaara, who just shrugged his shoulders.

He surprised everyone when he spoke up as Kankurou returned.

"…Good job," the Jinchuuriki of Shuukaku declared.

"…Thanks," Kankurou replied, feeling shocked to actually have received praise from his brother. The older Suna shinobi then glanced at Naruto. The blonde really had changed his brother. It would take some getting used to but Kankurou was glad. He'd have to thank Naruto for this someday.

"So two Suna nin have already passed to the Finals. That's very impressive," Kurenai remarked. "You've trained some impressive shinobi."

"Thank you," Baki spoke with pride. Only Gaara was left and he was absolutely certain that the Jinchuuriki would have no trouble winning his match.

"Who's next?" Asuma wondered, looking at the board. Everyone looked and Shikamaru groaned.

"Troublesome…"

**Nara Shikamaru vs. Tsuchi Kin**.

"Looks like you're up next, Shikamaru," Ino stated cheerfully, clapping him on the back. He glowered at her. He was so not up for this. He eyed his opponent. It just had to be a girl…

'_Maybe I should just forfeit,_' he thought. '_It would make things easier…_'

Kin gave Shikamaru a taunting look. "I'm going to look forward to getting back at you for what happened in the forest," she told him gleefully. "Or are you going to run away with your tail between your legs?"

"Troublesome woman…" Shikamaru grumbled under his breath. Why did he get stuck with her? Fighting her would be a big pain in the ass.

'_Shikamaru doesn't look very motivated,_' Ino thought to herself before smirking slyly. '_I'll just have to give him an incentive then._'

She pulled Naruto the side for a moment and whispered something in his ear.

"You want me to do WHAT?" Naruto yelped out loudly, catching everyone's attention to the very flustered Namikaze.

"Just trust me," Ino urged Naruto, pushing him towards Shikamaru.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow at Naruto. Just what was Ino making him do?

Naruto flushed harder under Shikamaru's gaze, averting his eyes shyly.

"Out with it, troublesome blonde," Shikamaru pressed before frowning in confusion as Ino burst out into barely concealed giggles. Just what had he said that was so funny?

Naruto swallowed nervously before whispering something in Shikamaru's ears. The Nara's eyes widened in surprise, and he looked at Naruto as if he had just promised him the most precious thing in the world.

Naruto quickly scurried off to hide his embarrassment before Shikamaru could get a word in.

'_Figures that the only thing Naruto is shy about is romance,_' Ino mused with a twinkle in her eye. He was just too cute.

Shikamaru turned to Kin with a determined smirk. "Bring it on," he challenged her confidently as he headed for the arena, making everyone's jaws drop.

"What did you make Naruto say?" Asuma asked Ino curiously, wondering what had made Shikamaru make a complete turnaround in his attitude.

"You'll see," Ino replied devilishly. "If Shikamaru wins, that is." This would be too good… She almost got sadistic pleasure in seeing the look of absolute displeasure on Sasuke's face. '_That's right, Sasuke… you'll never get Naruto. Not if I can help it._' If Kyuubi and Minato weren't there to prevent the Uchiha from trying to claim a Namikaze for himself, she'd do it in their place until they were free. She was the only other one who knew the full truth after all, save for maybe Kakashi. Thinking back, Kakashi's odd behavior during the Wave mission was all beginning to make sense. That must have been when he'd been clued in.

In the end, Shikamaru completely trounced Kin with a brilliant strategy, much to the glee of all of the Konoha nin, save for Sasuke. He'd been hoping to see the lazy nin get completely crushed.

Shikamaru approached a flustered Naruto with a distinct gleam in his eyes.

"… Am I going to have to castrate your student, Asuma?" Kakashi pondered aloud, wondering if he should swipe his precious little brother away from the eyes of the predator coming to him. This earned him an odd look from the smoking shinobi.

"You're _that_ protective of Naruto?" Asuma queried.

"He's my otouto," was Kakashi's nonchalant reply.

"I won, Naruto," Shikamaru all but purred as he backed Naruto into a corner. "Are you going to fulfill your promise now? You never go back on your word, right?"

"Here?" Naruto inquired, eyeing everyone else apprehensively.

"Where else?" Shikamaru retorted as he leaned in towards Naruto.

"Okay…" Naruto agreed reluctantly as he leaned forward as well, stretching to close the remaining inches between them.

Sakuya barked out happily, excited the sight of her 'parents' together. She ran circles around them hyperactively.

"How sweet," TenTen breathed, blushing faintly at the public display of affection.

"Pathetic," Neji sneered.

"I think I'm going to puke," Kiba grumbled, only to get smacked on the head by a reprimanding Hinata.

"Be nice," she told him. Kiba pouted.

Sasuke growled, getting ready to interfere again, only to get tripped by Ino and blocked by Gaara's sand.

He glared at both of them, dislike for both growing immensely. Just when he thought Naruto would be vulnerable to him with his father gone, he gained _new_ protectors! It just wasn't fair.

Daichi watched his prey reward his chosen lover silently, wondering what the ugly knot forming in his stomach was coming from. It wasn't as if he was actually developing _feelings_ for the Namikaze brat, right?

Shikamaru eventually pulled away from Naruto, a pleased smile plastered on his face. "Thanks for the reward," he drawled before walking back to his team, looking very satisfied.

Naruto was very silent as he quietly returned to his older brother's side. Seeing Shikamaru be so assertive was a real shock for him. He hadn't really thought his incentive would have worked on Shikamaru so well…

"I told you it would work," Ino sang teasingly, wondering if Kyuubi would have approved her course of action. She figured she would.

"Now that you two are finished with that _nauseating_ display, can we get to our fight now?" Kiba asked impatiently and Naruto frowned at him.

"What are you talking about?" the Jinchuuriki questioned.

Kiba pointed to the board.

**Uzumaki Naruto vs. Inuzuka Kiba**.

"Your turn to shine," Shikamaru told Naruto… and he had no doubt that he would.

"What are you talking about, Shikamaru? _I'm_ the one who's got it easy!" Kiba exclaimed. "Naruto's a dobe. I'll finish this match faster than that Suna guy!"

"'That Suna guy' has a name!" Kankurou called out irately. He didn't know what the dog nin was on, But he was a fool to underestimate Naruto. The Suna nin hadn't even seen Naruto in action but they could tell he would be a formidable opponent. Someone who so easily tamed their brother was no one to laugh at… especially if he was the Jinchuuriki of the most powerful Bijuu in existence.

"You are a fool," Daichi voiced the thoughts of many of the shinobi in the room, looking at Kiba coolly. Naruto gave Daichi a look of surprise. Why was the Iwa nin defending him?

Daichi didn't meet Naruto's eyes, nor did he pay attention to the odd look he was getting from his sensei.

"Whatever," Kiba responded with a scoff before looking at Shikamaru with a smug look. "Don't worry, Shikamaru. I won't hurt your 'bitch' _too_ badly."

"… I'll neuter him…" Kakashi whispered in the background, sole eye gleaming with bloodlust-filled rage. His fellow Jounin-sensei backed away slowly, eyeing him as if he was a ticking time bomb. Kurenai wondered if she should fear for her student.

'_Kiba should be glad that Yondaime-sama isn't free yet,_' Ino thought, glaring at the arrogant Inuzuka. Remembering all of the times that Naruto's 'wind' had lashed out when somebody insulted Naruto, especially in a crude manner, she knew Kiba wouldn't have come out intact.

Even Hinata and Shino were gazing on Kiba with disapproval.

Holding Naruto back from mauling the Inuzuka, Shikamaru glared at Kiba. "Naruto's not a 'bitch,' in any sense of the word," he replied coolly before turning to Naruto. "Kick his ass."

"Don't worry, I will," Naruto vowed. He would beat Kiba not only for himself, but for all of the insults he had made against his father as well, no matter how unaware the Inuzuka was of the true connection between Naruto and his guardian angel. He would show Kiba once and for all that he was anything _but_ a dobe.

Kiba and Naruto were glaring at each other when the sound of Sakuya's angry growling distracted them.

Naruto stared at his 'daughter' curiously. Sakuya met his eyes and he realized what she wanted. "You want to fight too?" he voiced her feelings. Sakuya barked in affirmation.

"Fat lot of good she'll do you, dobe. She's too young for battle," Kiba pointed out.

"That doesn't matter," Naruto declared. "If she wants to test her merit, then who am I to stop her?" Nevertheless, if Kiba or Akamaru hurt his kit in _any_ way, he would kick their asses in the worst way possible.

"Have it your way," Kiba grunted dismissively. "Are we going to get this started or what?"

"Let's get this over with," Naruto replied. He just wanted the Exams to be over so he could go hunt his godfather down and free his parents from Orochimaru's seal. They'd been separated for long enough. It may have only been a week overall, but to Naruto it felt like forever.

Both clan heirs headed down to the battle arena, both hell bent on bringing the other down.

"Something tells me that this is going to be rocky," Asuma remarked. Having such hostility built up from the very beginning would catalyze a very messy battle. "I don't know who I'd rather not be: Kiba or Naruto."

Kakashi, Sakura, Ino, and Shikamaru all looked at each other and all said one thing: "Kiba."

"You seem very confident about that," Kurenai declared. "But my student is no pushover. No offense Kakashi, but Naruto doesn't stand a chance. However much you've managed to train him, that doesn't change the fact that he was the class dobe."

'_That may have been the case if Naruto was what everybody thinks him to be… but neither was he ever the dobe nor was I the one who trained him into the person he is now. That right falls only to his father,_' Kakashi thought to himself. Kiba was screwed. "Would you care to make a bet on the outcome of this match, Kurenai?"

Kurenai looked intrigued. "I'm up for it," she replied with a smirk. "If I win, which I will, you'll give up your precious perverted books and profess your undying love to _Anko_."

Kakashi paled. Neither condition was very appealing. He couldn't bear to part with his beloved Icha Icha and he wasn't keen on doing such a thing with Anko. She would eat him alive. The only person he wanted to profess his love for was Iruka… who was blissfully unaware of his attraction. He quickly re-gathered his thoughts. There was no way he would lose. He had that much faith in Naruto. "And if I win, you'll train Sakura in Genjutsu."

Sakura looked surprised at her sensei. It looked like her sincere desire to improve herself was making it so that he was taking her training more seriously. It was a nice thought.

"Deal," Kurenai agreed, eyes gleaming. She was looking forward to seeing Kakashi get humiliated.

"Big mistake," Asuma muttered under his breath, earning a curious look from his love interest. "You haven't seen Naruto in action."

Kurenai's brow furrowed. What was she missing? Why did everyone so staunchly believe that Kiba would lose?

Just who was Uzumaki Naruto to have made so many people believe in him?

* * *

Kyuubi stalked towards the clearing that Minato was trapped in, wasting any snakes that got in her way using her chakra alone. Nothing was going to get in her way now that she was free.

Her eyes narrowed as she saw the state that her mate was in. Orochimaru was going to pay for this...

From what she could see, Minato looked to be under some Genjutsu. That had to be the case, otherwise the Hokage wouldn't look nearly so docile while being held captive.

However, as she moved to free the man from his prison, the giant snake morphed into another shape...

"Orochimaru," Kyuubi spat in disgust. It would figure that Orochimaru's seal would take the form of the wretched snake.

"You can't touch him," Orochimaru sneered, flinging Minato's limp form over his shoulder. "He's mine now."

"Like hell he is!" Kyuubi's possessive nature took over. She lunged for Orochimaru, only to be overcome by a bright light.

/When it cleared, she found herself in the Hokage Office.

'_How did I get here?_' she wondered before she realized what had happened. She'd fallen into the same Genjutsu that Minato was under. She could break it easily but she wanted to know... just what was it that Minato was seeing? She knew the nature of this particular jutsu: it allowed the one targeted to view what they considered an 'ideal' world. What was Minato's?

Turning around, she saw Minato working on paperwork diligently. Oddly enough, he looked a little older... like the age he was supposed to be if he had survived. Silver was beginning to line his golden hair and he'd even started getting a few wrinkles and yet...

'_He still looks as handsome as ever,_' Kyuubi thought to herself, enamored with the sight. She'd always known that Minato would have been the type to age gracefully. She could easily see that a part of the Genjutsu involved his survival.

That was when the door opened and Minato looked up, making the most breathtaking smile.

"TOU-SAN!" a much happier looking Naruto cried out, leaping into his father's arms without a second thought.

Minato chuckled, eyes shining with love. "Hello to you too," he greeted the boy. "Welcome back from your mission. How did it go?"

"It went GREAT!" Naruto exclaimed loudly, making wide gestures to explain his point. Kyuubi marveled over how carefree this Naruto looked compared to the one she'd grown to love. It was as if he had no burdens at all...

Speaking of which, she noted that he didn't have his whisker marks which meant one thing... she wasn't sealed within him.

'_That would explain Minato's survival,_' Kyuubi realized, wondering why it hurt to see them so happy without her. Was this the world that Minato wanted to be in? One without her?

"Have you gone to see your mothers yet?" Minato asked his child, making Kyuubi falter.

Did Minato just say 'mothers'?

Naruto nodded enthusiastically. "Kushi-Kaa-chan and Kyuu-Kaa-chan were _really_ happy to see me. I thought they would _never_ let me go!" the blonde child declared with a small, petulant look. "It's not like I'm a baby anymore."

Kyuubi could hardly believe it. In Minato's ideal world, he was not only alive and still married to Kushina, but he had _her_ as well? '_I'd say that was two-timing if I wasn't so happy about it,_' the kitsune thought to herself. She was just happy to know that she played a part in the dream that Minato saw.

"You were careful with Kyuu-chan, right? You know that she's in a very delicate condition right now," Minato spoke to Naruto.

"I'm always careful!" Naruto stated, sounding almost offended that his father thought otherwise. "Kyuu-Kaa-san is pregnant with my little sister after all!"

She was _what_ now?

Kyuubi kept getting one surprise after another. Minato wanted children with her? '_If only I could,_' she thought to herself. Nevertheless, she would tease the man about this for _weeks_.

While Kyuubi was curious about what more Minato thought of in his ideal world, she knew she couldn't afford to waste any more time. The real Naruto needed them.

Putting her clawed hands together, she canceled out the Genjutsu. "_Kai!_"/

Kyuubi snapped back into her proper senses just in time to see Orochimaru run off with Minato. "Get back here!" she screamed, chasing after them. Just seeing the vile snake with his hands on the unconscious blonde _really_ ticked her off. '_First, I'll skin him alive... then I will castrate him and finish him off by ripping out his heart and shoving it down his throat!_'

She stopped short when Orochimaru stopped near a cliff. He dangled Minato's body over it. "If you come any closer, demon fox, I'll drop him and who knows what will happen to him then," he warned.

Kyuubi was forced to comply. She had no idea what would happen to Minato if he was thrown into the dark recesses of Naruto's mind. He could be unharmed... or she may never see him again. As much as she wanted to beat Orochimaru, Minato was far more important.

'_What do I do?_' she wondered. She could try to force Orochimaru to relinquish Minato but there was too great of a chance of her losing Minato in doing so. She'd always been more of an action person... how was she supposed to handle this?

That's when she noticed a strange red chakra forming nearby, chakra that wasn't her own.

'_What's going on?_' she wondered curiously. She had no idea what was going on.

Luckily, Orochimaru hadn't noticed it, too busy gloating over his victory over Kyuubi... until the chakra materialized into a human form.

"Let him go, Snake-teme!" a ferociously pissed off Kushina shrieked, tackling Orochimaru to the ground. The snake dropped Minato, but luckily not over the cliff, allowing Kyuubi to retrieve the Hokage while Kushina exerted her righteous fury over Orochimaru for threatening her husband. Kyuubi could only watch in awe.

'_I can see why she was so feared when alive,_' Kyuubi mused to herself. She'd known that Minato had created constructs of himself, which was used by the Shinigami to actually stick Minato in the seal, and Kushina, but she hadn't actually expected to meet the other woman any time soon.

She just sat back and enjoyed the view as Kushina ripped Orochimaru apart until he was only pieces of lingering chakra.

Huffing, Kushina turned her attention to the Bijuu and her husband.

"Is he alright?" Kushina asked Kyuubi, surprising the demon with how friendly the woman was being, all things considered.

"He's fine," Kyuubi admitted. "Just sleeping."

"We can't have that," Kushina stated with conviction... before going slaphappy with Minato. "WAKE UP, Minato-baka!"

Minato yelped as he was so roughly broken out of the Genjutsu cast upon him. He blinked groggily before gaping at the sight in front of him. "Kushina..." he breathed out, love and longing clear in his eyes.

Kyuubi turned away. She knew how much Minato loved Kushina and he always would, but it hurt to be reminded of that and how she had unwillingly played a part in their permanent separation.

"It's been a long time, Minato-kun," Kushina smiled. "I've missed you."

"Me too," Minato agreed. "I didn't expect to see you so soon..."

"Well, it wasn't exactly planned," Kushina commented. "But someone had to come save your ass!"

Minato looked a little sheepish. "Even now, you still take such good care of me," he said affectionately.

"Of course, it's my job," Kushina winked before glancing at Kyuubi. "It's your job now, Kyuubi."

Kyuubi turned around, a surprised look on her face. "What?" she asked numbly.

"I know you two love each other," Kushina declared with an all-knowing look on her face. "And I'm alright with it."

"Kushina..." Minato began but she silenced him.

"I have no right to keep you from loving another, Minato. It will be a long time before you join me in the afterlife and you deserve to be happy," the Uzumaki stated. "Kyuubi will be good for you."

"I love you," Minato told Kushina, squeezing her hand.

"I know," Kushina assured her husband. "But you love her too."

"Thank you," was all Kyuubi could say. Ever since she and Minato had discovered their attraction for one another, one of the things the Bijuu had felt guiltiest about was stealing the Hokage from his wife. That fear was now put to rest.

"Take care of my boys," Kushina asked Kyuubi.

"I will," Kyuubi promised.

"Thank you," Kushina smiled before she faded away.

"Is she... gone?" Kyuubi wondered. Minato shook his head.

"No, her chakra just returned to dormancy. The next time she arrives, it will be for Naruto," he assessed.

"Are you okay?" Kyuubi asked, wondering how Minato felt about seeing his wife again after twelve-long years.

"I will be," Minato responded. "But we have bigger things to think about... Naruto…"


	25. A Namikaze Through and Through

I'm back with another chapter. I had a lot of fun writing this one. I didn't expect this fight having taken so long but I think I feel pretty satisfied with it. I hope you enjoy.

**Sefiriot**: Thanks for the review. It really made my day reading all of your comments. You'll enjoy the real Minato vs. Orochimaru fight. I intend to make it epic, lol.

**Kyuubiforevr**: Itachi will not fall in love with Naruto, but I will tie him in with the entire Namikaze chakra thing, but as he seems to reject the typical Uchiha mentality, he won't go the same route like Sasuke.

**DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles**: Lol, now there's a thought, lol. Can't say I didn't consider it *shot* ShikaNaruIno would be rather interesting… maybe I should make a vote… or is it too daring?

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 24: A Namikaze Through and Through

"Begin," Hayate informed the two opponents.

"I suggest you forfeit, Naruto, if you don't want to be in a world of pain," Kiba warned the blonde.

Naruto scoffed. "You don't need to worry about me, Kiba. I'm more than ready for this," he shot back heatedly.

"Who said anything about being worried?" Kiba snorted. "I'm just trying to spare you the utter humiliation you will face if you fight me."

"Your arrogance astounds me," Naruto said dryly, not looking impressed at all. Kiba just scowled.

"Do you even know the meaning of those words?" the dog nin taunted.

"Do you, Dog Breath?" Naruto countered, irritating Kiba.

"This is as good as over," Kiba promised. "I won't even need Akamaru."

"That would be a stupid move," Naruto argued back. "You'll need all of the help that you can get."

Kiba growled. "You're asking for it."

"Bring it," Naruto smirked, beckoning Kiba to come at him.

With a loud cry, Kiba lunged at the blonde, punching him so hard that Naruto flew straight through one of the arena walls. At the same time, Akamaru lunged for Sakuya, and the two nin-animals engaged in a vicious tussle of their own.

This, more than anything, confirmed to everyone that knew about him, that Naruto's guardian angel was gone. If he'd been there, that hit wouldn't have ever landed. The angel was Naruto's own Ultimate Defense. Without him, Naruto was completely vulnerable to attack.

"Call the match, he's finished," Kiba told Hayate.

"Don't be so quick to judge," a voice rang out and everyone turned to see Naruto climbing out of the rubble, looking mostly unharmed, save for the blood dripping down from his split lip. Naruto grinned. "Good punch, Kiba, but I've had worse."

"How could you? Ever since we've known you, not one hit ever landed on you? That 'wind' of yours always intercepted. You don't know what it's like to feel real pain!" the dog nin exclaimed.

He'd always been jealous of Naruto's ability to avoid all hits throughout the academy. It just didn't seem fair to him. Now knowing that the source of Naruto's apparent safety was sentient filled Kiba with an even greater jealousy. What was so special about Naruto that he got to have a 'guardian angel?' What about the rest of them? Naruto would never get hurt and would always come back safe from all of his missions; at least, that's what Kiba assumed, while everybody else was at complete risk of getting hurt or even killed. It pissed Kiba off to see Naruto have such an 'easy' life.

"That was a bad thing to say…" Shikamaru remarked, recalling how angry Naruto had gotten when Inari had basically inferred the same thing. The rest of Team Seven and Ten were forced to agree.

"You know nothing," Naruto told Kiba firmly, recalling all of the beatings he had received at the hands of the villagers before Minato had been strong enough to exert some control over the situation. It was only because of Kyuubi healing his wounds that he was able to survive. Thinking back made him realize just how horrible it must have been for Minato to not be able to do anything while his son was beaten half to death on a regular basis. It would definitely explain his insanely protective nature.

"_I'll never let anyone hurt you again, Naruto. That's a promise._"

Naruto remembered Minato telling him that once back when they'd first met. Now he knew why.

'_I'm sorry I didn't take the time to understand that, Tou-san… maybe if I did, we would have never fought… and you would have never been ripped away from me,_' he thought mournfully.

"Pay attention to me!" Kiba yelled irately as he tackled Naruto to the ground. He was pissed off that Naruto had had the gall to space out in the middle of their fight.

Naruto glared at the other boy. "Why should I? You're not worth my time," he said coldly before kicking Kiba off. He didn't care if that made him sound like Sasuke. Kiba deserved it for making him so angry.

"'Not worth _your_ time?'" Kiba repeated, anger growing. "Who do you think you are? The _Prince_ of Konoha?"

'_Technically speaking, you __**could**__ consider Naruto as such,_' Kakashi thought to himself. '_Given his heritage._'

"I'm nobody," Naruto responded as he dodged the Inuzuka's blows as best as he could. He hated to admit it, but in his current state, the brutal nin had the upper hand. Orochimaru's seal hampered most of Naruto's Ninjutsu, his Genjutsu ability was nearly nonexistent, he didn't want to dare try Fuuinjutsu with his currently poor chakra control. All he had was his Taijutsu and he didn't want to show off his real style with the Iwa nin so close by… They may know who he is now but he'd rather not flaunt his relationship to his father that much more if he didn't have to. As proud as he was of Sakuya for asserting herself, he knew that she didn't stand a chance against the more experienced nin-animal. He would have to find a strategy to defeat Kiba and fast.

"That's right, dobe. You're _nobody_. Nobody cares about you and nobody ever will. Hell if I know why Shikamaru's so interested in you. Maybe he's just interested in playing around with you. He'll see how worthless you are in the end… just like your 'angel' did!" Kiba exclaimed, his jealousy and need to prove himself as alpha doing away with reason.

Naruto stiffened at Kiba's harsh words. He didn't want to show Kiba how much it hurt him to hear those words come out of his mouth, but it was obvious. He faltered in his step, allowing Kiba the moment he needed to drive his fist hard into Naruto's stomach.

Naruto coughed out blood and folded over Kiba's fist, face scrunched up in pain. Now _that_ hurt.

Next thing he knew, he was pinned to the floor face first with Kiba straddling him. He could hear Sakuya whimper nearby as Akamaru managed to get his jaws around her neck.

"Did I hit a sore spot, dobe?" Kiba taunted the blonde.

"I'll kill him," Shikamaru growled angrily, shocked that Kiba had made such low remarks. The only reason he hadn't dived into the arena was because Asuma was holding him down.

"Don't be rash, Shikamaru. Do you want to disqualify Naruto?" the wind-using Jounin reasoned with his subordinate. Damn… Naruto just had a way with turning the most unlikely people into the most overprotective, irrational people in the world. Out of the corner, he saw Chouji pinning Ino down, Gai holding Kakashi in place, and Temari and Kankurou frantically trying to keep Gaara in check.

"Murder isn't the answer, Ino!" Chouji told the girl in a panicked tone.

"Hell yes it is!" the angry Yamanaka shrieked louder than Sakura could have ever managed. She fought against Chouji's hold like a hellcat. She would do Kyuubi proud…

'_How dare he say that about Sensei and Naruto!_' Kakashi thought, enraged by the double insult against his precious people.

Sasuke eyed the Jounin out of the corner of his eye. He'd never seen the Copy Nin so angry before… He wondered what was so special about Naruto. He personally agreed with Kiba. That didn't mean he wouldn't try everything in his power to make Naruto his, though. Naruto and that guardian angel of his belonged under his sway, and he _would_ have him.

"Kick his ass, Naruto," Sakura spoke out from beside Sasuke. "Prove him wrong."

"Calm down, Gaara!" Temari pleaded with her brother.

"Mother needs blood," Gaara intoned in a creepy voice. "The _mutt's_ blood!"

"I thought you stopped with all of that crazy talk!" Kankurou bemoaned. It was just typical that the moment someone slighted his 'brother' that Gaara would revert to his old ways.

Hinata gazed at her teammate with narrowed eyes. How could he say such cruel things? She'd have to talk with him when all of this was over…

Kurenai watched everyone wearily. With so many people out for her student's blood, she was worried for his safety… not that he didn't deserve it for what he was saying. She just wondered who this 'angel' was.

"You're wrong," Naruto told Kiba through gritted teeth, struggling to get out of Kiba's hold. "He never left me!"

"Then where is he?" Kiba queried, putting all his weight into keeping Naruto down.

"…" Naruto didn't have an answer. Kiba guffawed loudly.

"Just face the facts, Naruto. Your angel finally got wise and saw how weak you really are. He ditched you. You're just like the rest of us now," the dog nin said gleefully. "Although, taking everything in consideration, your angel must have been pretty fucking retarded to have stuck with you for this long. He's as pathetic as you are."

The Killing Intent that flooded the room was utterly stifling… and it was all coming from one source: Naruto.

"You can insult me all you like, Kiba… I don't give a damn, but don't you _dare_ insult Him!" Naruto growled in rage so only Kiba could hear. Kiba's eyes widened as he was flung off the enraged Jinchuuriki.

Nearby, Sakuya reacted to her mother's rage, a faint red chakra beginning to seep off of her form as the chakra Kyuubi had once infused within her began to stir. With a loud yowl, Sakuya sent Akamaru flying towards his master, red eyes glinting ferally.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" Iruka whispered to himself from where he was watching with the rest of the Chuunin. Everyone could feel the faint demonic chakra flaring but there was also another source of chakra rising, one that only the older generation had felt before…

'_Is he using Kyuubi's chakra?_' Orochimaru, disguised as the Oto nin's Jounin-sensei, wondered. '_It shouldn't be possible with the seal I put on him…_'

But it wasn't Naruto who was using Kyuubi's chakra, it was Sakuya, meaning that the strange other chakra was coming from Naruto.

Naruto climbed back onto his feet slowly and stiffly, eyes shadowed by his hair, his hitai-ite no longer there to keep it out of the way. It had been flung off during Kiba's relentless assault.

As Naruto sank into a hauntingly familiar Taijutsu stance and opened his _gold_-ringed eyes, realization hit Asuma like an electric shock. He whirled on Kakashi.

"You taught him _his_ Taijutsu?" he asked the Copy Nin in shock.

"Whose Taijutsu?" Sakura frowned in confusion. What did the adults know that they didn't?

"_He_ would have wanted Naruto to know it," Kakashi responded simply, covering for Naruto.

"How can you be so sure?" Gai inquired.

"None of you know him like I do," Kakashi stated coldly. "Don't talk as if you know what he would have wanted. Naruto has more right to his style than anyone else in existence."

No one dared to argue against him. Kakashi had already expelled a great deal of bloodlust that day for Naruto's sake. They wouldn't excite it any further.

Sasuke was intrigued by the strange stance Naruto had taken and he was curious to see if there was any part of it that he could use for himself like he had done with Lee, so he started to activate his Sharingan when a heavy hand clasped onto his shoulder.

"_Don't even think about it,_" Kakashi warned Sasuke, pouring out a little Killing Intent. "You are not to use your Sharingan to steal the secrets of your own allies… not that it would do you much good to try to copy this style. It can't be copied."

'_What?_' Sasuke gaped. How could there be anything that couldn't be copied by the Sharingan? He glowered at Naruto. Here was something else that Naruto had that Sasuke should have. He'd have to force the other boy to teach him the Taijutsu by himself. If everyone's reactions were anything to go by, the Taijutsu _had _to be powerful.

"You better start preparing to train Sakura, Kurenai," Kakashi told the Genjutsu Mistress firmly. "The moment that Kiba started his trash talking, he forfeited his victory."

As much as Kurenai wanted to argue in favor of her Genin, if Naruto had truly mastered the Yondaime's Taijutsu, Kiba wouldn't stand a chance…

Kiba was strong but that would do him no good against a prey that was too fast.

"_Kai!_" Naruto canceled out the gravity seals, finding himself feeling significantly lighter than before.

"Whatever you just did isn't going to help you, dobe," Kiba stated, unaware of the real depth of the situation.

"Hn," Naruto took a leaf out of the Uchiha's book once again, letting Kiba lunge at him without even flinching.

Just when Kiba was about to land a hit, Naruto vanished from sight.

"He's fast!" TenTen gasped, eyes wide. "Almost as fast as Lee! No… he's just as fast!" She was referring to when Lee removed his weights too...

"Just how many surprises are we going to get with this kid?" Baki wondered.

"This is what you get from the number one most surprising ninja in all of Konoha," Kakashi spoke proudly. Naruto was just like his parents: his mother's attitude mixed with his father's intelligence, tenacity, and speed… what a dangerous combination.

Daichi smirked as he watched the fight. _This_ was the proof he'd been waiting for. The sign that Naruto really held the potential his father had. This would make everything more interesting…

"Where'd you go?" Kiba called out, looking around frantically. He heard a loud yelp and found that Sakuya was now ferociously attacking Akamaru, biting wherever she could and scratching him with enlarged fangs and claws.

"What's up with Sakuya? It's like she went through some sort of 'upgrade,'" Chouji commented, seeing Sakuya acting more viciously than before. She seemed stronger too.

'_Looks like Kyuubi passed on a few traits to Naruto's 'kit,'_' Ino realized. She wondered if this made Sakuya a demon fox.

"Akamaru!" Kiba called out in shock. "Hang on, I'm coming!"

"You won't," a voice rang out from behind Kiba and he whirled around to see Naruto standing there, an eerily cold look on his face. Kiba felt a shiver run down his back. Was this really Naruto? "Your fight is with me, Kiba."

With that, Naruto punched Kiba straight through a wall.

"Payback," Naruto said simply, waiting as Kiba climbed out, coughing up a storm.

"How did you get so strong?" Kiba asked, rubbing his jaw. It almost felt like it was broken. Getting hit by Naruto was like being run over by a huge boulder.

"Training… and a lot of it," Naruto replied simply. With a taskmaster as harsh as his father, it was no wonder he'd become as good as he had, even with his horrible handicap. He started walking towards Kiba at a sedate pace, the same cold expression still on his face. "So the reason you turned your back on me… the reason you've treated me so horribly all of this time… was because you were _jealous_?"

Kiba flinched. When Naruto put it into context like that, he had to admit it sounded rather stupid… yet all of his instincts pointed to Naruto being a threat to his role as alpha amongst their companions. Not only that, but Naruto smelled like a vixen in heat half the time, which _really_ threw Kiba's senses off. He couldn't help but be hostile at the odd enigma in front of him!

"I'm done taking your abuse, Kiba. I'm going to show you that I'm not a dobe, once and for all," Naruto vowed, sinking back into the Taijutsu stance.

In the eyes of the adults, they saw another image superimpose itself over Naruto.

'_He looks just like the Yondaime,_' many people thought.

Naruto's assault was swift and brutal, sending Kiba flying in one direction, only to appear in that area to punch him into another direction.

"You can barely see them," Sakura remarked.

"That's the specialty of this Taijutsu style," Kakashi explained. "It's all based on speed."

All of the speed training that Naruto had gone through had paid off. He was able to use the Taijutsu almost to its full potential. It would be even better when Naruto learned the Hiraishin. While Hiraishin was technically a very advanced teleportation technique, learning how to be naturally fast served to help keep Naruto's reflexes in tune with moving at fast speeds. That way, he wouldn't be vulnerable in any way while utilizing the Yondaime's ultimate jutsu.

"He's going to be sore for a while," Chouji winced in sympathy as Naruto trounced Kiba.

"That is if he's lucky," Ino replied, getting a sadistic pleasure out of seeing her foxy new friend get his well-deserved revenge.

"Remind me not to get that boy angry," Kankurou commented, watching the battle in shock. Naruto was only using Taijutsu but the puppeteer already knew he didn't want to ever face Naruto in battle. If he could fight like this without even using an ounce of his Bijuu's power, he hated to see what the boy was capable of while using it.

'_He's just like his father,_' two displeased individuals, Jin and Orochimaru, thought. That _really_ pissed them off.

'_His parents would be proud of how far he's come,_' Sarutobi thought, watching Naruto fight with pride. He was really curious what this 'angel' business was all about though…

Everyone winced as Kiba slammed face first into the ground so hard that it cracked. Naruto landed on him and pinned his arms down behind him. "Yield," he told Kiba sternly, eyes as cold as ice. He would make Kiba face the fact that whether he liked it or not, Naruto was who he was and fully capable of making Kiba submit even after being the "dobe."

Although Kiba was in a lot of pain and ready to pass out, he wasn't willing to admit defeat against Naruto. "Kiss my ass," he replied defiantly, causing Naruto's eyes to spark with anger.

He was growing rather tempted by the idea of breaking Kiba's arms when a voice rang through his head.

Let him go, Naruto…~

Naruto's eyes widened and he instantly got off of Kiba.

_~Tou-san?~_ he asked tentatively. He could hardly believe what he was hearing.. '_Is that really you?_'

Minato chuckled tiredly. ~Who else would it be, Little One?~

Tears threatened to spill from Naruto's eyes. He was so relieved. ~_I thought… I thought I would never hear you again,~_ he admitted.

That will never happen,Minato stated with conviction. ~Nothing short of Kami could keep me away from you… maybe not even then.~

_~That's good to know,~_ Naruto said with a small smile. ~_I really missed you._~

And I, you,~Minato conceded.

~**I hope you missed me too, Naruto,**~ an all-too-welcome voice rang out and Naruto laughed.

_~Of course I did,~_ Naruto declared. ~_Who could ever __**not**__ miss you, Kyuu?_~

**~That's what I thought,**~ Kyuubi said smugly. ~**After all, **_**I**_** was the one who saved our lovely **_**Princess**_** from Orochimaru's evil metaphorical clutches.**~

Naruto nearly burst out laughing as he felt Minato's chagrin wash over him.

I'm not a girl!Minato exclaimed, pouting.

**~You sure look like one,**~ Kyuubi countered. ~**And let's face it. Kami knows that in **_**both**_** relationships you've had so far, you've been the **_**girl**_** in the relationship.**~

I have not!~ Minato argued, embarrassed. It was technically true. It was just Minato's fate to fall in love with the two most dominating women in existence.

_~Does that mean I should start calling you __**Kaa-san**__?_~ Naruto teased his father, causing Minato to groan in mortification.

Not you too, Naruto. I thought you loved me, the former Hokage whined.

_~I do, but messing with you is too much fun.~ _his impish son replied.

You take too much after your mothers, Minato grumbled before his eyes sharpened. ~Heads up.

Naruto tuned back into the real world just in time to dodge Kiba's incoming attack. His conversation with Minato and Kyuubi had allowed Kiba the time he needed to recover. Unfortunately for him, Akamaru had been knocked out for the count by Sakuya's vicious assault, which left the dog nin feeling very angry.

The blonde noticed that even if Minato and Kyuubi were now 'free', Minato hadn't moved to produce the wind barrier.

Orochimaru's seal is preventing me from materializing or using our chakra to aid you,~ Minato explained. ~However, even if we could help, we won't. This is your fight.

_~Tou-san…~_ Naruto declared, touched that Minato finally trusted him to fend for himself.~

It's time I stopped looking at you through rose-tinted glasses,Minato admitted. ~You may be my son but you're also a shinobi. I won't hold you back from what you desire any longer.~

_~Thanks,~_ Naruto replied, feeling a warm sensation run through him. He really had missed having his father's support. It was the best thing in the world.

"I'll never submit to you," Kiba growled. "The only way I will ever accept you is if you beat me into the ground!"

"That's what I was doing," Naruto pointed out, ever the smart ass.

"RAARGH!" Kiba snarled. "_Tsuuga!_"

Kiba turned himself into a terrifyingly fast tornado, aiming to make Naruto pay for what happened to Akamaru and for the humiliation Kiba had just gone through.

_~Yikes!~ _ Naruto yelped, using his speed to avoid the attack. ~_If I'd been any slower, he would have got me… and I doubt even I would have been to recover from it fast enough. He's __**pissed**__._~

**~The Uzumaki clan is said to have that sort of effect on people,~** Kyuubi asserted. Minato looked curiously at the demon.

~How do you know that?~ he queried.

**~It's not only the Uchiha clan that I have a history with, you know,~** the Bijuu answered mysteriously with a wink. ~**Stick around and I may just show you my secrets.~**

~Like I could do anything else,~ Minato pointed out the fact that they were literally stuck with one another.

**~Smart ass,~ **Kyuubi muttered. The Hokage was as dense as his son…

So what are you going to do, Naruto?~Minato asked his son curiously.

_~I'm going to put the mutt down,~ _the scion of the Namikaze and Uzumaki clans quipped, gold-tinted eyes glowing faintly.

'_He's using the Namikaze chakra,_' Minato realized in shock. He thought he'd sealed it all away. Orochimaru's seal must have dislodged it… He only hoped that Sasuke wasn't watching with the Sharingan… He still remembered what Kakashi had told him recently after Minato had shared the information about Madara.

(**Flashback**)

_"Well that explains a few things," Kakashi muttered after Minato described Madara's obsession with the Namikaze._

_ "What are you talking about?" Minato frowned, eyeing his student curiously._

_ Kakashi had the grace to look sheepish. "Well, back when I first received Obito's Sharingan eye… when I looked you with it, I started to feel __**real**__ weird," he admitted. He didn't really want to admit things like this to his sensei. It was embarrassing._

_ "Define weird," Minato frowned._

_ "Like… possessive weird…" Kakashi murmured, looking away._

_ The blank, unsettled look on Minato's face was all it took to make Kakashi clam up._

_ "It's not like I __**wanted**__ to feel that way," he quickly said defensively._

_ "I don't blame you, Kakashi… that just serves to show that it all ties to the Sharingan. You never felt like that around me before, right?"_

_ Kakashi made a vehement shake of his head._

_ Minato sighed in frustration. The entire situation was, as the Nara would say it, troublesome. "I hate the Uchiha clan…_"

_It was a bad thought to have as a Hokage, but he couldn't help it. They were a threat, maybe not to himself as he was technically dead and unable to be harmed, but to Naruto for sure, and he couldn't stand for that._

(**End Flashback**)

~**You better be watching this, **_**Princess,~**_ Kyuubi told Minato, snapping him out of his thought process.

~Don't call me that,~ Minato sulked. Kyuubi didn't look like she was about to stop.

Minato focused his attention back on his son's fight, seeing as Naruto was currently letting Kiba exhaust himself in his rage while conserving most of his own chakra. It was a smart idea considering Naruto couldn't utilize it properly at the time.

~Your chakra problem is a real hindrance, Minato assessed. As long as Kiba kept using his Tsuuga, Naruto wouldn't be able to land a hit. Without the use of jutsu, he wouldn't be able to interfere with Kiba's jutsu properly. ~Perhaps I can do something about that…~

~**What do you have in mind?~** Kyuubi wondered.

~If Naruto can't utilize better chakra control by himself, then I will be his control,~ Minato stated as focused his energy around Naruto's chakra core, using his own will to siphon out the chakra properly.

~**I knew there was a reason you were considered a genius when you were alive,~** Kyuubi spoke with approval.

~Naruto… go wild,~Minato suggested and Naruto grinned.

~_You're the best, Tou-san,~ _ he replied before making a series of Kage Bunshin. ~_I've got an idea._~

~Let's see it then,~ Minato stated with pride. Win or lose, he was proud of how much Naruto had grown.

Just as Kiba stopped his rotations, Naruto's clones converged on him, beginning to kick him into the air. "_U – Zu – Ma – Ki! Naruto Rendan!_"

Kiba cried out in pain as he was harshly slammed into the ground, no longer able to move after Naruto's attack. His body had reached its limit.

"He ripped off Sasuke's _Shishi Rendan_," Sakura pointed out in surprise.

"I think he was trying to teach Sasuke a lesson," Kakashi analyzed, eyeing the Uchiha. "Never steal from an ally… it doesn't feel good, does it?"

"Hn," Sasuke grumbled.

Sakuya yipped in triumph and leapt into her mother's arms, licking him happily. Naruto smiled.

"You fought well," he complimented her. "Although, next time, perhaps you _shouldn't_ use that chakra, alright? I think you gave a few people a heart attack."

Sakuya whimpered in apology.

"Winner: Uzumaki Naruto," Hayate finally spoke up, declaring the end of what had to have been the longest battle yet.

Naruto grinned. It had taken a lot of work… but it had been worth it all.

~I'm proud of you, Naruto,~ Minato told him, pleased with Naruto's victory.

~**Me too,~** Kyuubi added.

~_Thanks,_~ Naruto replied, a wide, completely happy smile appearing on his face for the first time since they'd been ripped away from one another. The Namikaze family was back together and nothing would be able to get between them again.

* * *

A/N: I also have a muse in my head and I was wondering what you guys thought of. Of course Guardian Angel is my first priority, with Digital Intervention coming up next, but it's in my head and I'm dying for an opinion.

Setting: part AU

Pairing: KyuuMina

Summary: Minato is the most important player in a prophecy in which whoever has him on their side will basically get control of everything, or something like that (basics: he will determine if good or evil wins). With this prophecy over his head, he is the most valued and sheltered member of all of Konoha and almost everyone (save for a select few) have ulterior motives towards him. One day, he wanders into a forest and gets attacked by a demon, only to be saved by a certain nine-tailed fox. As thanks for the rescue, Minato promises to stay and nurse Kyuubi back to health and slowly, a romance brews, much to the chagrin of many of the villagers.

Do you think you would like reading such a story?


	26. End of the Preliminaries

I had hoped to get this chapter out sooner but after my last interview, I got hit by a slump that knocked me out of commission for a good while. I didn't get _any_ writing done, much less any school work *sweatdrop*.

Nevertheless, I finally concluded the preliminaries (took forever). I hope you like how things turn out.

I'm pleased with the reception the latest chapter got. Nearly fifty reviews. That's more than I've gotten for any of the other chapters. And the story overall got about nearly 80 more reviews since I updated that chapter. It makes me happy, even though I got my first rather nasty, no concrit present, flame.

I reckon I might have made Kiba a little too harsh with his insults during the fight but he kinda ran away on me and did his own thing. It takes a lot more to piss Naruto off so completely enough to use the Namikaze Taijutsu in front of everybody, after all. He'll get his scolding and chance for redemption eventually.

**Schnookums**: Actually, I have been debating over that entire issue, mostly with the concept of continuing the Namikaze/Uzumaki lines. I'll leave it for a vote to see if people are okay with the idea of possible mpreg or would using Ino as a surrogate mother be better. The story can work out either way.

**Dhh**: Kakashi doesn't know Minato's techniques. He lied to everyone so that no one knows who was really teaching Naruto. He's the only one who can cover for Naruto for the time being, after all.

**Sefiriot: **you know, I never quite caught that slip up. It must've felt normal to me. I like reading all of your speculations, they're very thought provoking. It makes me happy to see my readers thinking so deeply about things in the story.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto as much as I want to.

* * *

Chapter 25: End of the Preliminaries

Naruto returned to the Observation Deck with a bright smile on his face, even if he was all bruised up.

'**I'm sorry that I can't heal your wounds,**' Kyuubi apologized.

'_That's alright, Kyuu-chan. It's not your fault. We just have to find Jiraiya to remove the seal,_' Naruto reassured the Bijuu. He felt someone approach and he looked to see Gaara.

The other Jinchuuriki gave Naruto a quick glance over to make sure he was alright. "You did a good job," he complimented and Naruto grinned.

"Thanks, Gaara," he stated, clapping Gaara on the back. "Good luck with your own match, whenever it comes."

Gaara nodded simply before letting Naruto go to meet with his other friends.

Ino leaped straight into Naruto's arms, giving him a fond kiss on the cheek. Naruto flushed. He'd never received such affection from anyone before. Yes, Shikamaru seemed to enjoy kissing him a lot, but never like this. It felt nice. It made Naruto wonder if this was what having a sister was like.

Sakura marveled over how quickly Ino and Naruto had bonded. It kind of made her a little envious to see Ino win Naruto's trust but she could sort of understand it considering that Ino had gone into Naruto's mind and saw more than Naruto had ever been willing to tell anybody. Ino could now understand Naruto better than anyone. Whatever she had saw had changed Ino completely.

'**I knew I did right in trusting you,**' Kyuubi's voice rang out through Ino's mind, causing the girl to shriek in surprise.

'_How are you still talking to me?_' Ino wondered.

'**It seems that you absorbed a little of my chakra,**' Kyuubi admitted. '**I don't have an entire idea of what sort of effect it may have on you but it allows me to talk with you.**'

Ino was a little concerned over the possibilities but considering that Kyuubi wasn't evil in the slightest, she couldn't imagine the situation being all that bad.

'_Does Naruto know?_' Ino queried before realizing something. '_Does this mean you freed Yondaime-sama?_'

'**Naruto doesn't. Our conversation is on a private link, although I could allow him and Minato-kun in if need be,**' Kyuubi explained. '**And yes, I did... with a little help, that is.**'

'_From who?_' Ino asked curiously.

'**From Naruto's mother... his real one, that is,**' Kyuubi declared. '**She had left some of her chakra inside Naruto so that she can help him when he needs it.**'

Ino was more than a little surprised. That was the last thing she had expected. In fact, it left her speechless. Naruto's parents went to such lengths to help him... it was awe-inspiring.

'_All of you are… totally amazing,_' Ino declared after a while. Kyuubi laughed.

'**Why thank you,**' she replied silkily. '**We try our best.**'

Ino couldn't help but smile. Life was going to get interesting from now on.

"You did great, Naruto," she finally spoke up. "I think you left everybody speechless."

Naruto grinned. "Then my work is done," he said cheekily with a wink. Ino could only giggle in amusement.

That was when Shikamaru approached Naruto, looking quite serious. "We need to talk," he declared, wanting to explain away Kiba's derogatory comments.

"A-ah," Naruto responded, allowing the other to pull him aside, away from all of the prying ears.

"I'm not just playing with you, Naruto. Kiba was trying to get a rise out of you," Shikamaru asserted. While it was true that his initial attraction had been a product of the Jinchuuriki's mysterious nature, it was no longer the case. He really cared for Naruto and he would do anything in his power to help and protect the blonde with, and from, everything.

'He better not be playing or I'll kick his ass,' Minato promised darkly.

'**I'll help you,**' Kyuubi added. No one would get away with hurting their kit.

'_Shikamaru would never do that,_' Naruto said faithfully. '_It would be too troublesome._'

Minato grudgingly conceded the point. He knew how the Nara clan was.

"I know you aren't," Naruto assured Shikamaru. "You wouldn't have initiated anything if that was the case. You would have waited for me to go to you."

Shikamaru blinked in surprise to see how well Naruto was able to read his nature. He smirked. It looked like he wasn't the only one striving to understand the inner workings of his partner.

"I just have a small question for you," the Nara commented.

"What is it?" Naruto queried.

"You had Kiba where you wanted him… so why did you let him go?" Shikamaru asked.

Naruto was silent for a moment before a beautiful smile appeared on his face. "Because _he_ came back," he admitted, flushing with pleasure.

Shikamaru's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean your Tou-san?" he asked for clarification.

Naruto nodded enthusiastically.

Smiling, Shikamaru hugged Naruto tightly. "I'm happy for you," he declared earnestly. He'd hated seeing Naruto so sad during the course of the separation.

When they parted, Naruto turned to his own team.

"Good work, Naruto," Kakashi beamed, ruffling his hair affectionately before giving Kurenai a sly look. "Be prepared to take another student, Kurenai."

The woman could only sigh in defeat. She turned to Sakura.

"Meet me at Training Ground Eight at one o' clock every day starting from tomorrow," the Genjutsu Mistress ordered the pink-haired girl.

"Thank you, Kurenai-sense," Sakura stated. "I'll work hard."

Kurenai nodded in acknowledgement before looking at the scoreboard. Her eyes widened.

**Hyuuga Hinata vs. Hyuuga Neji**

Neji smirked darkly, looking at his cousin. He was glad for the match up. He'd get his chance to get back at the Main House for his cursed fate. It was his destiny.

"Do your best," Naruto encouraged Hinata. "Show Neji-teme that he's wrong about you."

"I will," Hinata promised with a smile. She would show everyone how much she had improved. No longer would she be seen as weak.

"Be careful," Shino warned the girl. He knew how much Neji hated the girl. While she was strong, Neji was the last year's Rookie of the Year. Not only would he be doing everything in is power to hurt and destroy her confidence, but he'd be very difficult to defeat.

Hinata nodded before heading down to the battle arena, where Neji was waiting impatiently.

"It would be my sincere advice for you to forfeit this match, Hinata-sama," Neji suggested coldly. "I won't go easy on you."

"I'll take my chances," Hinata said firmly, surprising Neji.

As he observed her with his Byakugan, Neiji saw no trace of uncertainty on Hinata's face or in her body language.

Snorting as he realized his planned mental sabotage wouldn't work, Neji simply waited for Hayate to give the signal.

"Begin," the proctor stated, leaping out of the way. He wasn't going to get in the way of the two Hyuuga.

"She's going to lose," Sasuke stated gruffly, earning a glare from Naruto.

"Shut up. You have no idea about her. She's a lot stronger than you think," he snapped. He was still a little sour with Sasuke over the Forest of Death incident. While he knew Sasuke's behavior had been a result of the Cursed Seal, it still pissed him off.

"Hn," Sasuke grunted before looking away.

"Before I forget, Naruto…" Kakashi pulled the blonde's attention from the fight. The Jounin made a few hand seals and placed his hand on Naruto's shoulder.

Naruto would have collapsed if it hadn't been for Sakura and Ino racing to support him.

"What did you do, Sensei?" Sakura asked.

"I merely reactivated the gravity seals," the masked nin replied.

"You made them heavier," Naruto muttered as he struggled to stay up straight.

"It was time to up your training," Kakashi declared, unrepentant.

"I hate you," the Jinchuuriki grumbled.

"That's too bad because I love you," Kakashi teased, ruffling Naruto's hair.

"They act like brothers," Kurenai whispered to Asuma.

"That would explain a lot," the bearded Jounin responded, thinking back to all of Kakashi's overprotective behavior.

At that time, everybody turned back to the fight going on down below.

"Hinata's actually doing pretty good," Chouji remarked. "She's countering every one of Neji's blows."

"I didn't know Hianta was so strong," Sakura admitted, looking wide-eyed.

"Hinata-chan has always been strong," Naruto spoke faithfully, loud enough for both fighters to hear. "All that she needed was a little self-confidence."

"Che… it will take a lot more than confidence to change your fate, Hinata-sama," Neji said derisively.

"You're wrong, Neji-nii-san. I am going to change myself for the better… so that I can become a good Clan Head and fix all of the flaws inherent within our clan," Hinata declared. She wanted to destroy the barrier between the Main House and Branch House.

Neji scoffed. "You'll never be able to achieve that goal, Hinata-sama. You're too weak. You can't even defeat your imouto in battle. How can you be trusted as the Clan Head?"

Hinata's eyes narrowed. She was more than capable of defeating Hanabi but her love for her sister prevented her from going all out against her.

Nevertheless, she could see Neji's point. Until she proved herself, no one would see her as a worthy Clan Head.

"I'll get stronger and prove myself to everyone," Hinata reaffirmed. "I'll start with you."

"I would like to see you try," Neji retorted. "Go ahead and prove yourself to me!" He pulled off his hitai-ite to reveal the Seal on his forehead.

His reference was quite clear to anyone who knew the history behind the Hyuuga Clan.

"He's daring her to use the Seal," Naruto spoke in outrage. "Hinata-chan would never do that!"  
'We know that… and he does too,' Minato said gravely. 'He's opted to play dirty.'

As Hinata faltered in shock over the bold move, the genius shinobi leapt into motion to take advantage of the opening.

"You're in my field of divination," Neji told her. "_Hakke Rokujuuyon Shou!_"

The spectators could only watch in horror as Neji finished Hinata off in a truly devastating manner.

"As I said," Neji began when he finished attacking and Hinata had collapsed onto the ground in severe pain. "It was your destiny to lose, Hinata-sama."

"What a sadistic youth," Jin remarked with raised eyebrows. "He attacked his own family without remorse. Is that what you teach all of your aspiring young ninja at your Academy?"

"Of course not!" Asuma retorted, watching the battle with somber eyes. It was a black mark against everything that Konoha represented.

'I didn't know he held _this_ much rage about the Kumo incident,' Minato commented, horrified by the turn of events. Hinata didn't deserve an ounce of the cruelty that Neji showered on her. He took advantage of her kindness and used it to destroy her.

To everyone's shock, Hinata got back to her feet even if it was clear that she was only hanging on by a thread.

"I won't give in, Neji-nii-san," she rasped, coughing out blood.

"She's still trying to prove herself even now," Ino stated, feeling bad. If Neji hadn't pulled that cheap shot and gained the opening, Hinata could have actually won.

"Give up, Hinata-sama, it's over. You don't have a chance against me. Fate has deemed you to be a loser and that will be what you always will be," Neji sneered.

"Don't listen to him, Hinata-chan!" Naruto called out angrily. "You're the strongest kunoichi I know! If he can't see that, then _he's_ the loser!"

Neji shot Naruto a murderous look. "Rant all you want, Uzumaki. You won't change her fate," he snorted.

He turned in time to dodge the volley of kunai that Hinata threw at him with the last of her strength.

He was more than a little surprised. Most Hyuuga merely stuck to using their Taijutsu in battle, not anything else. Hinata had deviated from the norm.

"I… feel bad for you… Neji-nii-san…" Hinata coughed and white hot rage filled the boy.

His pathetic cousin felt bad for _him_?

Letting out an angry battle cry, he lunged forward to make a final, and fatal, blow, except he was stopped by Kurenai and Kakashi. When he looked hatefully at his cousin for receiving such unfair help for merely being in the Main House he saw Naruto standing in front of her protectively.

If Neji had continued his attack, he would have hit Naruto instead, which explained why Kakashi had interfered.

Naruto gave Neji a very "Minato"-like glare before turning to Hinata and easing her onto the ground.

"Did… I do well, Naruto-kun?" Hinata asked weakly, completely exhausted.

Naruto smiled at her kindly. "Of course you did," he confirmed. "You did the best you could and everyone saw that. You've already started to prove yourself."

Hinata smiled. "I'm glad," she replied before falling unconscious.

"Don't make me laugh, Uzumaki. She hasn't proven herself to anyone… nor have you," Neji shot back once he was freed from the Jounin's grasp.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," a voice called out from above and Naruto was surprised to see that Daichi was the one who had spoken.

"The girl showed everyone that she was a lot stronger than she let on. She got past your defenses, after all," the Iwa nin spoke, calling everyone's attention to the cut on Neji's face.

"She got him," Ino realized. It may not have been a terrible would but it was proof enough that Hinata could have won if she hadn't been downed so early on.

Neji snarled and glared at Daichi. "Keep your nose out of this!" he stated. "This is a Hyuuga affair."

"By doing what you've done, Neji-kun… you made it everyone's affair," Gai declared solemnly.

"Che…" Neji spat before turning away.

"Oi! Neji-teme!"Naruto called out, catching the long-haired Genin's attention.

"What is it?" the genius asked impatiently.

"You better watch out for yourself during the finals," Naruto warned. "Because I'll kick your ass. That's a promise."

'_Naruto made his decision,_' Kakashi thought. '_He won't back down now._'

He hoped that Naruto would get the chance to do just that.

"Don't make me laugh," Neji snorted. "You can try but you will only lose."

"We'll see," Naruto declared. He would avenge Hinata's loss and force Neji to see the truth.

As Hinata was carried away by the medic nin, Naruto returned to the Observation Deck alongside Kakashi.

"That was a reckless move, Naruto," Kakashi scolded his student. "If Kurenai and I hadn't stopped Neji, he would have severely hurt you. Sensei would have murdered me if anything happened to you."

"He would have killed Hinata-chan," Naruto argued with a scowl. "I couldn't let that happen."

"You would risk your life for your precious people. I take it you're a strong believer in your village's 'Will of Fire,'" Daichi drawled. "How noble… you may be more like _him_ than initially thought."

Naruto didn't grace him with a response and Kakashi shot the Iwa nin a warning look. He wouldn't let the Genin near his younger brother, especially while he was under the influence of Kougyoku Jin.

"Who's next?" Lee wondered after everyone was settled again. He hoped it was him.

**Akimichi Chouji vs. Tsurugi Misumi**

Chouji swallowed nervously. He'd been hoping to get the bye.

"You can do it, Chouji," Shikamaru encouraged the other boy. "Do your best."

"If you win, Chouji, I'll take you out for barbecue," Asuma gave the 'big-boned' Genin an incentive.

Now Chouji was fired up, much like Shikamaru had been at the sound of Naruto's promise.

He rushed off into the arena, more than ready to take on his opponent.

The shady Konoha nin that was his opponent snorted derisively as Hayate signaled that the battle began. In an instant, Misumi had wrapped himself around Chouji, revealing his abnormal flexibility.

"What are you so confident about? It's not like a fatty like you has a chance of beating me," Misumi sneered, thinking that he had won.

"Now he's done it," Ino sighed as Chouji got even more fired up.

"I'm just big-boned!" Chouji yelled. "_Baika no Jutsu!_"

Chouji expanded rapidly, making it very difficult for the other nin to keep a hold of him. Then he called out his next jutsu. "_Nikudan Sensha!_"

The battle was finished almost instantly as the move served to crush the enemy nin brutally.

"That nin may have been trouble if he had any other opponent," Shikamaru mused. "It was his bad luck that he got Chouji pissed off."

"No kidding," Naruto agreed. If the unknown nin hadn't said the taboo word, he might have been able to stand a better chance instead of being knocked out so quickly.

"There are only two matches left," Sakura commented, eyeing the five remaining Genin: Daichi, Dosu, Michiru, Lee and Gaara.

Who would be next?

Gaara glanced at Daichi. He really wanted to fight him. He was certain Naruto wouldn't mind if he went all out against the Iwa nin or the Oto nin. But if he was paired up against Lee, that was a different story. He could see that Naruto was beginning to hold Lee in high regard and he didn't want to upset his new brother by hurting the other too badly like he'd once been prone to doing with his opponents.

Lee wouldn't mind fighting any of the other Genin. The all looked like they would be 'youthful' opponents.

Daichi didn't really care either way. None of the remaining opponents really caught his interest. He'd been hoping to fight Naruto, Shikamaru, or even Sasuke. He wanted to fight the latter simply because he wanted to crush out all of that annoying arrogance.

Michiru didn't really care any way. She just wanted a fight.

Dosu wanted to fight Lee to get revenge for his interference back in the Forest of Death.

However, Dosu and Gaara wouldn't get what they wanted as the next match was:

**Tanaka Daichi vs. Kinuta Dosu**

The Iwa nin and Oto nin glanced at each other with disinterest before heading to the arena.

Dosu was more than a little disappointed. He had no interest in the Iwa nin. Nevertheless, he would pound him into the dust and prove to everyone that Otogakure was worth their attention.

"Begin," Hayate instructed.

"Nothing personal, kid, but I'll have to beat you," Dosu spoke as he launched his assault… or at least he tried to. "What?"

Looking down, he found vines binding his arms and preventing him from utilizing his infamous techniques.

"He's fast," Shikamaru realized in shock. The battle had barely started and Daichi had already drawn the battle into his favor.

"I have no time to waste on you," Daichi declared coldly as the vines drew taut. Using the tension to his advantage, he started spinning rapidly, dragging Dosu along for the ride.

"I'm getting dizzy," Chouji moaned as he watched the match.

"Then don't look," Sasuke snapped irately. He was in a bad mood as always. This earned a sour look from Shikamaru for talking to his best friend like that.

After building up a large enough momentum, Daichi released Dosu from his binds, causing the Oto nin to slam into the wall head first, getting knocked out instantly.

"Winner: Tanaka Daichi," Hayate announced as Daichi calmly walked back up to the Observation Deck.

"He went straight for the kill," Ino realized. It was a rather intimidating maneuver. Whoever his opponent was in the next round would have to be careful.

"As expected of my prized student," Jin praised Daichi with a satisfied smirk.

Daichi merely nodded in acknowledgement, eyes trained on Naruto.

'Eyes off my boy,' Minato scowled, wishing he could materialize to establish his threat.

'**He can't hear you, dear,**' Kyuubi told the older blonde patiently. Minato sulked.

'I wish he did,' the Hokage grumbled.

Shikamaru did Minato's job for him by stepping in front of Naruto protectively, shielding him from sight.

Daichi glowered at the lazy genius, only to have it returned ten-fold.

The pissing match met an early end as the next match was announced.

**Rock Lee vs. Subaku no Gaara**

Lee let out a loud cry of triumph. He'd been hoping to get the chance to fight and Gaara would be an excellent opponent.

Gaara didn't really react and he merely shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess that means I get the bye," Michiru commented, a little disappointed that she wouldn't get the chance to fight the Namikaze brat's little lap dog. She was glad she wouldn't have to fight Lee. He was _way_ too weird for her tastes. "Good luck fighting the weirdo, Red."

"Lee-san isn't a weirdo," Sakura defended the enthusiastic nin. "He's just… unique."

"If you say so," Michiru snorted as the two competing Genin entered the arena.

"This will be an interesting battle," Asuma mused. Both Genin were formidable. The fight was bound to be exciting.

And it was.

Naruto watched them in awe. He knew they were strong but this was the first time he'd seen the two go all out. The battle could go either way. Not knowing who to cheer for, he cheered for both.

"Go Gaara! Go Lee! Do your best!" he cried out excitedly.

'Gai trained a fine shinobi,' Minato mused with approval. 'If Lee makes it to the Finals, I'm certain that he would become a Chuunin.'

'**He and Gaara are fighting on equal terms… which is impressive considering Gaara holds Shuukaaku,**' Kyuubi inserted. '**There's no way to predict who will win.**'

In the end, Gaara won but only barely and not without taking a few devastating hits himself.

The battle had ended up being the type in which the winner was the one with the greater stamina, and thanks to his tenant, Gaara came out on top.

"Are you alright?" Naruto asked Gaara in concern.

"I will be," Gaara confirmed simply. "Lee-san was a good opponent."

"That he was," Naruto agreed. "It makes me want to fight him myself."

Gaara simply smirked.

"Tou-san says 'good job' by the way," Naruto whispered and Gaara flushed faintly, looking shy. He'd never been praised like that before… not even his father gave him the time of day.

Minato knew that and planned to do something about it. He wanted to show Gaara what it was like to have a real father, a role he had no problem filling.

"So everyone has had a chance to fight now," the Sandaime spoke out finally. "Everyone who has passed the Preliminary Round, please come down to the arena."

The twelve competitors quickly headed down and saw Hayate approaching them with a bowl filled with a bunch of small, folded papers.

"These papers have numbers on them that will represent your position during the finals," Hayate explained and then held the bowl out.

"Four," Sasuke grunted out his number.

"Five," Shino announced calmly.

"Seven," Sakura reported, looking curious.

"Nine," Shikamaru huffed lazily.

"Six," Kankurou declared proudly.

"One," Naruto admitted with a smile.

"Two," Neji sneered in an uncaring manner.

"Eleven," Chouji stated.

"Ten," Daichi drawled with a shrug.

"Eight," Michiru said nonchalantly.

"Twelve," Temari finished off the list.

Hayate recorded all of the numbers before announcing the layout for the next part of the Chuunin Exams.

It went as follows:

First match: Naruto vs. Neji.

Second Match: Sasuke vs. Gaara

Third Match: Shino vs. Kankurou

Fourth Match: Sakura vs. Michiru

Fifth Match: Shikamaru vs. Daichi

Sixth Match: Chouji vs. Temari

Naruto glared at Neji, glad that he'd get the chance to beat sense into the cold Hyuuga. Nothing would make him happier… outside of freeing his parents, that is.

Sasuke glanced at Gaara, hatefully. He looked forward to defeating the redhead and proving to Naruto how worthless he was.

Shino and Kankurou looked at each other and looked away. It made no difference to them who they fought.

'_Great, I get the fan girl,_' Michiru thought, looking at Sakura distastefully. She'd hoped for a good match up. Ah well, at least it would be easy.

Shikamaru and Daichi exchanged fierce death glares, both determined to defeat the other for one reason alone: Naruto.

Chouji glanced at Temari nervously. Something told him that fighting her would be a lot harder than fighting Dosu.

Kakashi was feeling very proud as all three of his students had passed the Preliminaries. It had been more than he'd hoped for.

Kurenai was a little disappointed about having only one student pass but when considering their opponents, she had to concede defeat.

Asuma was pleased to see two of his Genin get by. He placed a reassuring hand on Ino's shoulder. "You'll get your chance next time," he assured her.

"I'm fine," Ino replied. What she'd gained through her loss was far more valuable than a promotion.

Gai didn't mind that only one of his Genin passed. They had each tried their hardest and that was all that mattered.

Baki was more than proud of his Genin, especially Gaara for having displayed restraint instead of losing control like he would have otherwise.

Orochimaru was pissed. Not even a single Oto nin had passed. It just served to show he'd chosen weaklings to do his dirty work. He wouldn't make the same mistake next time.

Jin was displeased with Osamu but settled down with the knowledge that Michiru and Daichi would be more than enough to reflect Iwa's strength.

Now the only thought going through everyone's head was the outcome of the Final part of the Chuunin Exams. Who would win and who would lose?

* * *

A/N: As mentioned earlier, I'll allow you guys to vote on what **Schnookums** brought up. It won't be a direct thing to worry about for a while but I'd figure I'd get it all cleared up now. I can go any way so I figured I'd see what you guys would like.

Options are:

Mpreg possible

Ino as a surrogate mother for Naruto/Shika's child

Adoption

None of the above


	27. Unexpected Proposal

I'm sorry I took so long with this chapter. Completing the last month of my senior year of college and finally graduating took a lot of time away from me.

I was really surprised with just how many people reviewed the last chapter, even if I had offered a vote, especially considering how much I had disliked writing that chapter. I'm happy you all enjoyed it.

I've pondered over the idea of how the Namikaze and Nara lines would be prolonged with Shikamaru and Naruto being together. Mpreg and Ino as surrogate were the most popular of the choices. I can see how both sides think and I'm happy with either decision. I think the main story will follow the idea of Ino as surrogate (with perhaps Kyuubi doing some tweaking so that both Naruto and Shikamaru's DNA somehow being tweaked with the child or something, courtesy of **Tachi Kagehara** (thank you for bringing that sort of idea up to plate)) with a side story (slight AU) to satisfy the mpreg idea for those who want it.

**Alrisce**: Thank you for your review. I'm happy you enjoy the story.

**RoxasisReal13**: Thank you! And might I mention I love your username?

**Sefiriot**: The last chapter was an unlikable one for me as well but it was, to me, a necessary evil to get through so I could get to the more exciting stuff.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 26: Unexpected Proposal

"I'm sorry, Naruto, but I can't train you," Kakashi apologized, the Council forcing his hand. "I have to train Sasuke for his fight against Gaara."

Sasuke smirked smugly. Finally, he was getting the attention he deserved as an Uchiha. Seeing the annoyed look on Naruto's face made it all the better. He blinked in surprise when that particularly pleasing expression faded away, only to be replaced by nonchalance.

"I suppose that's to be expected," Naruto shrugged. "Sasuke-teme will need all of the help that he can get if he wants any hope of beating Gaara."

"Why you -" Sasuke growled in offense, only to be held back by Kakashi.

"I managed to ensure Sakura a teacher thanks to your victory but I was unfortunately unable to find anyone for you," Kakashi declared, looking remorseful before a gleam appeared in his eye as he leaned forward to whisper in Naruto's ear. "But if I were you, I'd check out the hot springs."

Naruto was a little confused but realization struck Minato like lightning.

'This should be interesting,' the elder shinobi commented in amusement.

'_What will be interesting?_' a confused Naruto asked.

'You'll see,' Minato responded. 'Let's go.'

* * *

"You two didn't need to come with me," Naruto told Ino and Gaara, who had come to his side as he walked towards the hot springs after he had visited Hinata at the hospital.

"We want to," Ino stated simply with a smile. She was curious to know who Naruto's new teacher would be.

Gaara simply agreed with her. He wanted to spend time with Naruto. That's what friends did, right?

'**You'll be surprised who you find there,**' Kyuubi told Ino, amusement clear in her voice. She would love to see what the young girl would do when she met the man.

'_Who is it?_' Ino wondered curiously.

'**You'll see,**' Kyuubi responded mysteriously, chuckling in an evil manner.

That didn't reassure Ino very much.

As they arrived at the hot springs, Ino realized what Kyuubi had been talking about as the three Genin gawked at the white-haired pervert spying on the women's bath.

Minato sighed in exasperation. 'Sensei will never change,' he mused.

'_Sensei?_' Naruto repeated. '_**He's**__ my godfather?_' He wondered what possessed his parents to give that responsibility to this man. He didn't look that impressive…

'I was hoping that he would leave a better impression on you the first time you met,' Minato commented. 'Although Sensei is perverted, he's a great shinobi… and he was like a father to me when I was alive. I would trust no one else to be your godfather.'

'_Then why didn't he take care of me when you and Kaa-san died?_' Naruto questioned.

'I don't know,' Minato admitted. 'But I'm sure he had a good reason.' He couldn't imagine Jiraiya simply abandoning Naruto. There had to have been something that prevented him from actively doing his duty as Naruto's godfather.

'_We'll just have to find out,_' Naruto decided before getting a wicked idea on how to get Jiraiya's attention. He beckoned Ino over to convey his plan.

The gleam in her eye showed that she approved.

"EEEEKKK! HENTAI!" she shrieked out loudly, alerting the women in the bath that they were being watched.

Jiraiya's eyes widened in horror and he only got a glimpse of the mischievous Genin before he got the snot beaten out of him by a group of angry women.

'**Children after my own heart,**' Kyuubi told both Naruto and Ino, both who beamed with pleasure at her approval.

'I can't say that Sensei didn't deserve it,' Minato sighed, wincing at the sound of Jiraiya's high-pitched screams.

After a while, the beating finally stopped and Jiraiya was left to glower at the three unrepentant Genin who had led to his miserable state.

He stalked over to them irately. "You ruined my research!" he scowled.

"Is that what you call it?" Naruto inquired with a raised eyebrow. "I call it peeping."

Jiraiya glanced at him and nearly faltered.

'_He looks so much like Minato,_' he thought to himself before playing dumb. "Who are you to talk to me like that, brat?"

"Uzumaki Naruto," the blonde spoke proudly. "Future Hokage!"

A small, hidden smile appeared on Jiraiya's face. He had heard of Naruto's decision to strive for the Hokage position. He found it somewhat ironic that Naruto was following his father's footsteps without realizing it.

He quickly hid his fond musing, but not before Minato was able to detect it.

'_It looks like Jiraiya really does care for Naruto,_' he thought to himself, confirming that Jiraiya hadn't just abandoned Naruto without reason. He wouldn't look at Naruto with such care otherwise.

Scowling, Jiraiya feigned being unimpressed.

"You? Our future Hokage? Don't make me laugh! You don't look like much," he scoffed.

"Just you wait and see, Ero-Sennin," Naruto responded hotly. "I'll prove you wrong."

Jiraiya's eyebrow twitched. "Ero-Sennin?" he repeated. "Where do you get the gall to call me that, brat? Don't you know who I am?"

"Jiraiya of the Sannin… taught by the Sandaime Hokage alongside the legendary medic, Tsunade, and the snake-teme, Orochimaru. You also taught the Yondaime Hokage, also known as my Tou-san," Naruto reported, causing Jiraiya's eyes to widen in surprise.

"You know who your father is?" the Sannin queried.

"Sensei told me," Naruto replied simply. That statement was rather ambiguous. To outsiders, it meant Kakashi. To Naruto, it meant Minato. "I also know that you're my godfather."

"He's told you everything, hasn't he?" Jiraiya mused, disapproving. He thought Naruto was too young to handle the burden of the full truth. He had meant to tell Naruto when he was at least sixteen and a Chuunin.

"It's my life," Naruto pointed out. "I have every right to know."

"I expect that now that you know, you expect me to train you?" Jiraiya asked, wondering if Naruto would actually pull that card on him.

"I don't expect anything like that," Naruto shot back. "If I'm going to be trained by someone, it's not going to be because of my heritage or anything tied to it. I won't become anyone's obligation. If anyone trains me, it will be because they see me for me, no one else!"

'Well said,' Minato replied with approval.

Jiraiya stared at Naruto, feeling the first seeds of respect take root within him. His godson was already beginning to reflect the traits he and Minato valued so much. That, by itself, was very impressive to the older shinobi.

"Well, what do you want?" Jiraiya queried. "You approached me for a reason, after all."

"Two things: your help fixing what Oro-teme did to me and the truth as to why you didn't take custody of me when my parents died," the Jinchuuriki declared.

"What did Orochimaru do?" Jiraiya fixated on the first request as concern took over.

"See for yourself," Naruto raised his jacket and shirt, channeling chakra to reveal the seal.

The Sannin's eyes narrowed as he observed the discrepancy.

"I can see the problem. I can fix it easily and tell you why I couldn't take care of you, _but_ I'll only do it on one condition," Jiraiya spoke, seeing the chance to test his godson while giving him a worthy incentive for trying his hardest.

"What is it?" Naruto asked impatiently. He wanted his father back with him as soon as possible.

"Fight me… all three of you. If you manage to land a hit on me, I'll not only undo the seal and tell you the truth, but I'll also train _all_ three of you," the white-haired shinobi asserted, shocking the three Genin.

'_He can't be serious!_' Naruto gaped mentally.

'He is… this is definitely something Sensei would do,' Minato sighed with a shake of his head.

Jiraiya wasn't only going to test Naruto's ability in battle but his ability to work with a team not his own in the heat of the moment while testing his two friends to see if they were really up to the task of sharing Naruto's great burden.

Looking at the two other Genin closely, he blinked as he realized who the Suna nin was.

"You're the Kazekage's son, aren't you? The youngest… Which means…" Jiraiya realized.

"I'm the Jinchuuriki of the Ichibi," Gaara finished.

'_So he shares that in common with Naruto. I can see how they bonded,_' Jiraiya realized. He turned to the Yamanaka. He wondered how she got into the mix.

He was sure he would find out eventually.

"So do we have a deal?" the Sannin asked, waiting for their response.

Naruto glanced at Ino and Gaara. This wasn't just his decision anymore. He wouldn't agree if they were against the entire situation.

"You don't have to do this, you know, if you don't want to," he stated.

"There's no need to say such a thing, Naruto. You can count me in. I want to help you to the best of my ability and I won't be able to do that as I am now. If I back out now, just because our opponent is one of the Sannin, I'd be as useless as I was before," Ino stated. "I promised I'd change… might as well start now."

'**That's my girl,**' Kyuubi cheered in approval, causing Ino to flush happily. She wondered if this was what having a mother was like. She'd never really known as her own mother had died years ago when she'd been young.

"I'm in as well,' Gaara agreed simply, winning Minato's favor.

Naruto smiled, glad to see his friends were on board. This would be a big challenge for them. He looked forward to seeing what they were capable of doing together.

Jiraiya nodded, glad that everyone was in agreement.

"Meet me at Training Ground Seven in an hour. I'll give you guys that much time to find a way to balance out your team. You're going to need it if you want a chance against me," the Sannin stated before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

'He's taking this seriously,' Minato mused.

'_Any advice, Tou-san?_' Naruto asked, trying to siphon out information for the upcoming fight. No one, besides the Sandaime Hokage and the other two Sannin, could know Jiraiya as well as his father.

'This is your challenge,' Minato pointed out. 'Meaning you're supposed to gather that information by _yourself_.'

'_That's what I'm doing,_' Naruto pointed out matter-of-factly. '_A shinobi ought to take advantage of all of their resources and __**you**_ _are my resource._'

'Smart ass,' Minato grumbled. 'Fine, I'll give you a hint. Jiraiya-sensei is, in my belief, the perfect example of a shinobi. However, he is also human, meaning he has his weaknesses. It is that weakness that you must take advantage of.'

'_That seems a little underhanded, doesn't it?_' Naruto frowned.

'It's the way of shinobi,' Minato countered. 'Manipulating one's weakness may be the only way to gain an opening against a superior opponent.'

'_I still don't like it,_' Naruto frowned but he understood the truth behind the matter.

Shinobi were sneaky individuals. They needed to take advantage of any opening that they could. Things like honor and mutual respect for one's opponent didn't hold them back. At least not as much as other warriors, such as the Samurai.

He wondered if that was one of the reasons shinobi and samurai didn't really get along.

Realizing he'd gone off on a tangent, Naruto snapped out of his reverie to address his two new teammates.

"We should try to formulate a good strategy while we have the chance," he finally stated. "Let's start out with learning each other's strengths and weaknesses."

"That sounds like a plan," Ino agreed. "I'll start. In terms of Ninjutsus, I'm mostly limited to the basic three (Henge, Bunshin, and Kawarimi) and my family jutsu. I'm pretty good with Genjutsu and I'd say I'm average with Taijutsu," Ino looked a little frustrated with her limitations. She silently cursed Sasuke for his indirect role in stunting her growth as a shinobi.

"Don't be ashamed, Ino-chan. You may have a late start but you've got a lot of potential. That chakra control of yours is amazing and your Genjutsu ability could balance out my inability to use Genjutsu," Naruto tried to cheer Ino up. "I'll go next. Normally, I have pretty decent Ninjutsu, no Genjutsu strength, and a pretty good Taijutsu to fall back on. However, with my current limitations, I'm mostly stuck with my Taijutsu. My major strength is my stamina and strategy and my major weakness is chakra control."

"My Ninjutsu is tied with my sand. I don't really use Genjutsu and I've never really needed Taijutsu before," Gaara admitted. "My greatest strength is my ultimate defense. My weakness, I suppose it's my lack of Taijutsu." He recalled his fight with Lee. He could see how he would need to rectify his former fighting style so that his newly unearthed vulnerability would no longer exist.

"We each have our strengths, which seem to balance out each other's weaknesses pretty well," Naruto mused. "We could make this work if we tried."

"So what's the plan?" Ino queried.

"I'm working on that," Naruto replied, mind whirring.

Jiraiya observed them from nearby, impressed by what he saw. All three of them were aware of their particulars strengths and weaknesses. Not many Genin their age paid attention to that as much as they should.

He also noticed that Ino and Gaara had deferred to Naruto, seeing him as the leader of the mission without any need for debate. That was another point of interest.

If the three of them passed his test, he was certain they would become one hell of a team.

'_Prove to me that my gamble is worth it,_' Jiraiaya silently encouraged them. If he did start teaching them, he would need to get permission from their respective teachers to get the chance to do so. The only one had full rights to was Naruto.

In the end, it all depended on them.

* * *

Orochimaru was in a foul mood over the course of events. Things weren't going quite as planned.

While he'd succeeded in giving Sasuke the Cursed Seal, he'd discovered just how much of a nuisance the Kyuubi brat was.

Orocohimaru hadn't counted on the boy taking so much after his father. All of the previous reports had led the Sannin to believe Naruto was more like his foolish, hot-headed mother.

The battle in the Forest of Death showed Orochimaru that Naruto had Minato's high affinity for learning jutsu and Kushina's ability to utilize them in the most creative ways.

Observing Naruto fight Kiba revealed a more troubling fact.

The young blonde was already embracing his birthright in the form of mastering his father's great legacy.

If Naruto had already mastered the Namikaze Taijutsu to such a level at his young age, Orochimaru would hate to see how well Naruto would embrace every other jutsu and ability his father had in his arsenal before his death.

The legacy of the Yondaime Hokage was becoming a real threat and that enraged Orochimaru beyond words.

He only wondered how Naruto was learning it all. He didn't believe Kakashi's explanation for a second. There was no way that the Copy Nin could have trained the Jinchuuriki in the Namikaze Taijutsu. He couldn't possibly have known the Taijutsu himself or been able to understand the dynamics well enough to teach anybody. That secret died with the Yondaime, or that he was certain.

On another note, Naruto had already thrown another wrench in his plans.

He had counted on Kabuto gaining Team Seven's trust by helping them get their last scroll… but somehow, the Uzumaki had managed to gather the scrolls within an hour of the Oto team's defeat, allowing not only Team Seven to move on but Team Ten as well.

Kabuto had therefore not been able to observe Team Seven and their abilities, annoying Orochimaru more.

The last thing that confused the Sannin about the unpredictable Jinchuuriki was all this talk about a mysterious guardian angel protecting the blonde.

On one hand, people could merely be mistaking Kyuubi for a guardian, but, on the other hand… they could really be onto something.

'_What does it matter now? From what everyone said, the __**angel**__ is gone,_' Orochimaru dismissed that train of thought.

"Orochimaru-sama…" a voice broke through the Sannin's thoughts and he turned to see Kabuto approaching him.

"Any news about Sasuke?" he demanded to know.

"Hatake Kakashi has taken him away for training," Kabuto reported simply. "He's left the girl with another Jounin and left Naruto-kun to his own devices."

Orochimaru smirked. Without someone training him, he was certain that Naruto's frightening progress would be stunted.

"I also thought that you should know… rumor has it that one of your former teammates has returned to Konoha," the glasses-wearing medic stated, causing the snake's smile to vanish instantly.

He knew what would happen if Jiraiya and Naruto were to cross paths. His pathetic former friend would take the blonde under his wing as the sentimental fool he was.

With Naruto taking up his father's legacy so effortlessly, he would become even more dangerous.

He couldn't let that happen.

"Have they met yet?" he asked Kabuto, hoping for a negative response.

"Yes," Kabuto declared, causing Orochimaru to snarl in displeasure. "However, Jiraiya hasn't agreed to train him yet… he's given a condition."

That peaked Orochimaru's interest.

"What is it?" he demanded.

"In order to earn the right for training, Naruto and his two chosen teammates must fight against Jiraiya. If they fail to land a hit within a given time limit, Jiraiya will not train them."

"Who are his teammates," Orochimaru queried.

"Yamanaka Ino… and Subaku no Gaara. It appears that Naruto-kun has won his favor," the spy said.

That piece of news displeased Orochimaru. Gaara had been the secret weapon he had intended to use against Konoha.

In fact, given the circumstances, he could assume the entire invasion would be compromised.

'_I've gotten too far to back out now,_' Orochimaru thought to himself. Even if Konoha knew about the invasion, it wouldn't change anything. The village would still fall and Orochimaru would get everything he desired…

The Sandaime's death.

Sasuke.

Death to the Yondaime Hokage's precious people.

He just needed to make a few adjustments to his plans…

"Kabuto… summon Dosu and Kin. I'm going to let them have one last chance to redeem themselves.

* * *

Jin looked up at the Shinobi Academy with an unreadable look. From what he heard, this was where one Umino Iruka worked.

'_Who knew the legendary Copy Nin would settle for falling in love with a mere Academy teacher…_' he thought to himself with disdain. '_How the mighty fall…_'

He would find out what was so special about this particular Chuunin that made him so precious to two of the remaining links to the Yondaime Hokage. There _had_ to be something of note. Jin would never be satisfied otherwise.

So entering the Academy, he sought out the brown-haired man, only to find him in the storage room.

Iruka was perched precariously on the top rung of a ladder as he tried to retrieve a box of papers from the top most shelf.

Realizing a good opportunity to work out his plan, Jin subtly used his chakra to destabilize the ladder to only the slightest degree.

It was more than enough to send Iruka and the papers flying.

Iruka let out a loud yelp, preparing for impact with the ground,, only to land quite comfortably in Jin's arms while the papers fluttered onto the ground around them.

Blinking owlishly at the larger man, Iruka processed the situation. Blushing in embarrassment, Iruka squirmed out of Jin's grasp.

"I'm sorry," he apologized profusely. "I'm such a klutz. I didn't even see you!"

"That's alright," Jin replied with a 'genial' smile. "I'm sorry that I startled you."

"It's not your fault! I should have been paying more attention. Some Chuunin I am," Iruka joked sheepishly.

"You shouldn't beat yourself up like that. You were focused elsewhere, it's totally understandable," Jin argued, trying to get on Iruka's good side as he helped the teacher pick up all of the fallen papers.

"Still…" Iruka began to protest before he realized one important detail. "Oh! I never introduced myself, did I? How rude of me… I'm Umino Iruka."

"It's nice to meet you, Iruka-san. I'm Kougyoku Jin," the Iwa nin replied genially.

Iruka eyed the man's hitai-ite curiously. "You must be the Jounin-sensei of the Iwa team, right? What brings you here to the Academy?"

"I was curious to explore Konoha," Jin admitted. "This has been the first time in many years that any Iwa-nin has been allowed into the village, after all. I was curious to see how our villages differed in structure and nature."

Iruka looked thoughtful over that matter. He supposed he couldn't really fault Jin for that. Anybody would be curious to explore a foreign village on their first visit. Still, relations between Iwa and Konoha were still very tense and Iruka knew it was a bad idea to allow someone from Iwa so close to their Academy. Not only were their future generations of Konoha shinobi put at risk, but the village secrets as well.

"I'm sorry, but you're not allowed to see too much of the Academy, but if you like, I could give you a proper tour of Konoha later on," Iruka offered. That way, he could keep Jin away from the forbidden areas but still allow him to explore the village.

'_He's pretty sharp,_' Jin thought to himself. As sweet-natured as Iruka appeared, he still kept the well-being of Konoha close at heart above everything else. Iruka was clearly a good example of the believers of the Will of Fire.

His attempt to learn Konoha's secrets through the Academy may have been thwarted but Jin had gained the opening he needed to worm his way into Iruka's life.

"I would like that," Jin smiled. "I apologize for the intrusion."

He left, barely able to hide the malicious smirk that threatened to split his face.

'_Just wait, Hatake Kakashi… I'll make you wish you were dead…_' he thought.


	28. A Long Awaited Reunion

Here's the next chapter. I hope you enjoy. It has what many people have been long awaiting. It took me a little while to type up but that's mostly because I first had to get and properly set up my new laptop. It took a bit to get used to but now I'm all set.

**Ana**: Thanks for your vote. If I do end up going with the surrogate, I'd say I like the idea of merging their DNA in some way. It would make things interesting.

**RoxasisReal13**: I've been getting into Kingdom Hearts finally and Roxas was the one I immediately latched onto. He's become my absolute favorite character now. Now if only I had a ps2 so I could actually play the first two games…

**Hitsugayatoushiro1220**: Thank you. I didn't process that I was actually graduating until the actual event. It felt pretty surreal to me. Now it's off to medical school…

**Disclaimer**: You all know the drill.

* * *

Chapter 27: A Long Awaited Reunion

Jiraiya waited at the Training Grounds, waiting for the three Chuunin aspirants to arrive.

'_They're late,_' he thought, wondering if Naruto was beginning to adopt some of his sensei's unfortunate traits.

He quickly pushed that thought out of his head. Naruto had looked too determined to prove himself to pull off such a sloppy move now.

'_Something must be holding them back,_' Jiraiya realized as he went to go investigate.

* * *

Shikamaru sighed as he sat with his parents for lunch. He had come home to ask his dad to help train him for the Chuunin Exam finals but got snagged by his mother instead.

They had all been relatively quiet until…

"So what is this I hear about you kissing one Uzumaki Naruto during the Preliminaries?" Shikaku asked his son, smirking in amusement as the young genius choked on the water he'd been drinking.

Shikamaru turned bright red in embarrassment. "How did you hear about that?" he queried.

"You virtually accost the young man in front of a large audience and you don't expect us to find out?" his father retorted, seeming to enjoy how flustered his son was getting over the ordeal. "It's alright, you know."

Shikamaru gazed at his father in confusion. "What is?"

"It's alright to like Naruto," the scarred man replied. "He's a nice boy and he deserves to have someone care for him… something he has been denied for far too long."

Shikamaru was more than a little surprised to hear that. He thought most of the adults disliked Naruto…

"You… don't mind that I like Naruto?" he queried with a raised eyebrow.

"I see no problem with it… nor does your mother. Besides… it would be too troublesome to have any objections to it," Shikaku responded.

Shikamaru felt a wave of amusement. He should have figured he'd get such a response from his father. He was glad that they approved of his choice. It would have been a drag to have to go against his parents to be with Naruto… not that he would let that stop him.

Shikamaru looked at his dad with a smile.

"Thanks," he stated.

"Don't mention it, brat," Shikaku replied gruffly.

"There's something I wanted to ask you," Shikamaru asked the elder nin after a few silent moments.

"What is it?" Shikaku wondered.

"Can you train me further with the family jutsus? My opponent during the Finals will be difficult to fight and I'm determined to win," the young genius stated.

Shikaku raised an eyebrow. Since when did Shikamaru ever take an initiative when it came to his training? More importantly since when did he care so much about winning?

"Who are you fighting?" he asked.

"Tanaka Daichi, an Iwa nin," Shikamaru said.

Shikaku was starting to get an idea of what was driving Shikamaru to be so determined but he had to make sure.

"Does this have anything to do with Naruto?" the elder Nara asked. Shikamaru looked surprised. How had his father been able to pick up on that so quickly?

"The Iwa nin have fixated themselves on Naruto for some reason… especially Daichi. I want to protect Naruto from them but as I am now, I wouldn't stand a chance," Shikamaru admitted.

"I'm not surprised that they're interested in him, given the circumstances," Shikaku thought. Naruto grew to look more like his father with every passing day. It was getting harder to hide the resemblance.

Shikamaru looked at his father curiously.

"What circumstances?" he queried.

"You shouldn't concern yourself with this, brat. You don't need to know," the Jounin said.

"This has to do with Naruto… of course, I have to know. How can I help him if I don't know what he needs help with?" Shikamaru pressed.

Shikaku gazed at his son with an unreadable look. "You really like him, don't you?" he mused. He hadn't realized Shikamaru's feelings were that strong.

Shikamaru nodded silently. There was no need for words.

"Nevertheless, I still can't tell you. It's not my place," the patriarch of the Nara clan responded. "The only one who has the right to share such information with you is Naruto himself."

Shikamaru sighed in frustration. At this rate, it would take forever to unravel the mystery surrounding his elusive blonde.

* * *

'_What's going on here?_' Jiraiya wondered as he came across Naruto, Ino, and Gaara fighting against two Oto nin.

Thanks to his spy network, Jiraiya recognized the Oto nin for who they were: Orochimaru's pawns.

'_This explains why they're late,_' Jiraiya thought to himself. He pondered over the idea of interfering but decided against it. He would see how his three prospective students got out of the sticky situation. Considering their spar was interrupted, he would use what appeared to be the last stretch of this fight as an initial assessment instead.

"You picked the wrong day to mess with me, bastards!" Naruto scowled as he leapt out of the way as Dosu tried to attack him.

Dosu was forced to relent as torrents of sand suddenly surged forth, attempting to trap him. He dove out of the way, only to be met with Ino's Shitenshin no Jutsu.

"Gotcha!" Ino cheered from inside Dosu as she turned on Kin and used Dosu's abilities to knock her out before the other Oto nin could react to the situation. She then let Gaara trap Dosu in his sand before releasing her jutsu.

"…What?" Dosu blinked when he found himself in such a precarious situation. He hadn't expected to be defeated so easily.

"As I said… it was the wrong day for you to come here and kick up a storm. I've got something I need to do and I'm not letting _anyone_ get in my way!" Naruto hissed as he made the finishing move, punching Dosu's lights out.

"I can't believe it's over like this," Ino commented. The Oto nin were hard opponents as they were. She hadn't expected things to go so smoothly for them.

"Keep in mind that they're most likely still reeling from their injuries from the Preliminaries," Gaara pointed out.

"That may be so but our strategy definitely worked out," Naruto remarked with a smile.

'Your teamwork was pretty seamless," Minato complimented, seeming impressed by their first time working together.

"We're so late…" Ino murmured as she glanced at her watch. "Jiraiya-sama will never consider us now…"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," a voice rang out and the group turned to see Jiraiya walking up to them.

"You saw everything?" Naruto realized.

"Pretty much," Jiraiya conceded. "I must say you worked together quite well for not having ever teamed up together. Your abilities seem to balance each other out well. Now let's see what you can do against me."

Naruto shared an evil look with Gaara and Ino. He had known Jiraiya had been listening to their earlier conversation, meaning that the Sannin could easily predict combining their strengths into the right type of battle strategy. Therefore, once the pervert had left, Naruto had formed an alternate strategy that they could use, even blocking Minato out so that his father wouldn't know.

The three Genin made identical hand signs and called out their incoming jutsu.

"_Oiroke no Jutsu!_"

In a puff of smoke, Jiraiya found himself surrounded by a trio of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen… other than Tsunade, that is.

Naruto looked like his typical Naruko self, Ino looked like an older version of herself, and Gaara looked like a porcelain-skinned beauty with large, wide sea foam eyes and waist-length red hair clothing her body.

Jiraiya flew back with the mother of all nosebleeds, a perverted smile on his face.

Minato sweatdropped. When he'd mentioned manipulating Jiraiya's weakness, he hadn't quite meant this.

'You really like twisting my words around, don't you?' Minato remarked dryly as Naruto approached the twitching Sannin.

'_It makes things interesting,_' Naruto replied without remorse as he loomed over his godfather. He lightly punched Jiraiya's shoulder. "We win."

Jiraiya smiled lewdly once he had recovered. "I like you three," he stated firmly.

"I bet you do," Ino muttered, embarrassed to have used such a degrading jutsu simply to gain a win against the Sannin. She still couldn't believe she'd let Naruto convince her to use the move in the first place.

"As unconventional – and enjoyable – as your method was, I suppose a win is a win," Jiraiya commented. "So from now on, you three will be my students. That doesn't mean I'm taking you away from your Jounin-sensei, however. I'm just going to train you on the side. I see a lot of potential in you and I aim to bring it out to the fullest."

"But what about our Jounin-sensei? Wouldn't they not like it if you just started training us?" Ino wondered.

"Leave that to me, I'll get their permission to train you as soon as possible," Jiraiya assured the girl.

"Even from Baki?" Gaara frowned. Considering how Suna intended to invade Konoha, he couldn't see how Baki would agree.

"Trust me, kid, I'll get him to come around," Jiraiya promised before turning to Naruto. "So about that seal…"

"Will you get it off now?" Naruto asked eagerly.

"I promised, didn't I? I never go back on my word," the white-haired shinobi declared, causing Naruto to blink in surprise. It looked like he didn't just share his nindo with his father.

'Who do you think I learned it from?' Minato pointed out and Naruto had to concede the point.

Naruto raised his jacket and shirt to reveal the seal while Jiraiya made his preparations.

Anticipation filled the three Genin. Would the Yondaime Hokage finally be freed?

* * *

Observing from above, the goddess known as Fate frowned in displeasure. She had done so much to keep Minato and Naruto separated from one another. She was determined to prove to the Shinigami that he was wrong to have gone behind her back to return Namikaze Minato to the living plane. He no longer had a place in the design Fate had for the world.

Naruto's soul mate – the one meant to help the Jinchuuriki fulfill his destiny – was Uchiha Sasuke… of that, Fate was certain.

The Shinigami had disagreed. He believed Sasuke was unfit to play such an important role. If he was the one to help Naruto, they would fail for sure. When the Yondaime Hokage fell into his hands so readily, the Harbinger of Death had seen his chance to throw a wrench in Fate's plans.

Fate had never forgiven the Shinigami for his meddling and while she couldn't do anything to him, given his equal god status, she could take her rage out on the next best thing: his champion.

However, even she had not predicted how Naruto would have been able to overcome every obstacle she threw his way.

"Just admit defeat, Fate. You won't succeed in breaking them apart. Not even I would be able to do that now," the Shinigami declared, entering her realm. "Their souls have intertwined themselves together so deeply that it's hard to know where Minato ends and Naruto begins."

"That's only because you made them that way," Fate snapped. "Namikaze Minato served his purpose when he brought the Chosen Child into existence and sealed Kyuubi into him. He was _not_ meant to be sealed into his own son and he was _not_ supposed to fall in love with a demon."

"I only set up the circumstances," the Shinigami stated gruffly. "I didn't have anything to do with how closely they bonded. That was all their doing. Kami gave humans free will for a reason. Not even you can control that."

"I can try," Fate retorted hotly. "Your champion may have won this round but that does not mean it's over. One day, I'll find another opening… and when I do, there will be hell to pay… for both you and the Yondaime Hokage."

The Shinigami gave Fate a stoic look. "Your stubborn nature knows no bounds…" he groused. "I can see there is no reasoning with you. The humans really have you pegged. You _are_ a bitch."

Anger raged within the goddess but before she could lash out, the Shinigami disappeared.

"Damn that bastard…" she cursed. Once she found the human who coined that phrase, she would utterly destroy him.

* * *

"_Gogyou Kaiin!_" Jiraiya called out as he released Orochimaru's seal.

Both he and Naruto let out loud yelps as a surge of chakra flashed between them, sending them flying away from one another.

'_That wasn't supposed to happen,_' Jiraiya frowned as he got back to his feet. He glanced worriedly towards his godson, only to get the shock of a lifetime. '_I'm seeing things,_' he decided in a daze.

Naruto was sprawled, not on the ground, but on someone's lap. A someone that Jiraiya was certain was dead.

"M-Minato?"

The transparent ex-Hokage glanced at the shell-shocked Sannin.

"Hello, Sensei," he greeted with a small, bittersweet smile. "It's good to see you again."

Jiraiya didn't respond. He just stood there, gaping.

'**I think you broke him,**' Kyuubi commented, sounding rather amused by the turn of events.

Minato would have responded if he hadn't suddenly got bowled over by his very happy son.

"You're here! You're here! I thought you would never be freed! I'm so happy right now I could cry!" Naruto poured out all at once in a stream of excited chatter. He clung to Minato as if the legendary Hokage would disappear if he so much as loosened his grip.

"You better not," Minato responded, hugging Naruto with equal vigor. "I might just join you."

'**Kami forbid Naruto seeing his big, strong Daddy shed a few tears,**' Kyuubi taunted playfully.

'Oh, hush you,' Minato replied, simply happy to have Naruto back in his arms.

It was around that time that Jiraiya snapped out of his daze. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he pulled out a kunai.

"Release my godson, _now_," Jiraiya growled. The man in front of him couldn't be Minato, he just couldn't. It had to be an imposter. He wouldn't let the shameless bastard get away with manipulating Naruto.

The Yellow Flash blinked in surprise at the turn of events but his attitude changed quickly. He shifted Naruto so that the boy was riding his back, piggy back style. "What will you do if I don't?" Minato replied coolly.

Jiraiya started pouring out a lot of Killing Intent. "I'll kill you."

"Even if Naruto's life was at risk?" Minato queried as he gracefully dodged Jiraiya's first lunge. Naruto just let out a whoop of excitement as he was taken along for the ride. He wasn't doing a very good job of playing hostage.

"I'd never let you harm a hair on his head!" Jiraiya yelled, once again trying to get Naruto away from the elusive imposter.

"You haven't done a very good job of that so far," Minato sneered coldly, startling Naruto. Now the Genin was beginning to see this as more than one of his father's mischievous games. "You were supposed to take care of Naruto in his parents' place. You didn't. Where were you when he was neglected at the orphanage? Where were you when the villagers started to beat him whenever he left the safety of his own home? Where were you when he struggled to learn the ways of the shinobi when no one else would teach him? Tell me that much and I might just spare you!"

"Tou-san…" Naruto murmured, seeing Minato's inner emotions sneaking to the surface. His father had always been so in control in Naruto's eyes. Seeing what his father tried to keep buried inside was a very new experience.

Jiraiya caught Minato by surprise when he actually landed a heavy punch to the spirit's stomach.

Minato gagged and doubled over, stunned. He hadn't felt pain for such a long time that it had taken him completely by surprise. He didn't know he could have even felt that before…

Blinded by the return of his ability to feel pain, Minato barely registered Naruto being ripped away from him.

He looked up gingerly to see a pissed off Jiraiya.

"I _wanted_ to be there for him. I fought tooth and nail to gain custody of Naruto but the damned Council blocked every attempt. They didn't like the idea of the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi leaving Konoha as was bound to happen if he was in my care. It got so bad that they literally banned me from even being in the same vicinity of Naruto until he became a Genin. The most I could do was provide financial support and trust that Sensei would protect him. Now tell me, Minato… what else could I have done with the Council so determined to keep me away from your son?" Jiraiya argued back before realizing what his heart already knew. His knees collapsed from underneath him and he found himself at the same level as the hunched over blonde.

"You're… you're really him," Jiraiya spoke after a few moments of stunned silence. He shakily reached a hand out and nearly broke down as he felt the soft blonde locks of hair brush against his fingers. It really wasn't an illusion…

Bitter anger appeased by Jiraiya's explanation of the truth and his success in protecting Naruto, Minato rewarded Jiraiya with a sad smile. "I'm sorry I ever doubted you, Sensei…" he stated.

"You had every right to," Jiraiya responded. "I always thought you'd been mistaken in naming me as Naruto's godfather."

"Kushina and I would never have made you godfather if we hadn't been certain that you were the right choice. You were like a father to me, Sensei. Who else could I have trusted with my son?"

"There's that Nara that you'd been close friends with," Jiraiya pointed out.

"Now that would have been awkward," Ino murmured as she tried to imagine how Naruto's life would have been if he'd grown up beside Shikamaru. They could have turned out more like brothers than lovers.

"Why?" Jiraiya asked, looking confused.

"Naruto and Shikaku's son are… romantically involved," Minato admitted with extreme reluctance. He really didn't like it but Shikamaru made Naruto happy. Minato didn't have the heart to get in the way.

"Really now?" Jiraiya turned to the blushing Naruto. He'd have to meet the Nara boy himself and see if he was really worthy to chase after his godson's affections. After all, not just anyone deserved the right to Naruto's heart.

Pushing the distracting thoughts away, Jiraiya turned to Minato.

"How are you here?" he finally asked the big question.

"It's a long story," Minato declared.

"I've got the time," Jiraiya replied stubbornly.

Minato and Naruto looked at each other before sighing. There was no point wasting any time.


	29. A Troubling Discovery

I'm sorry I took so long with getting this chapter up. It took a while for me to get it typed and then there was the additional delay with getting it to my beta. Hope you enjoy.

**Ghost appears:** I'm glad you like the story. With the Shika/Naru/Ino thing, I wouldn't necessarily say it would be a romance. It would be more like a friend who's willing to do a favor for the couple. I'm still weighing my options with the decision. It's tough to make a decision when you like all of the options, right?

**Sefiriot:** What exactly is Shovel Speech?

**JessMess:** Thank you. I'm sure you will enjoy everything that I have in store for the characters.

**Narutoske:** Sasuke and Naruto's relationship is a little tricky for me. It's really hard for me to allow Naruto to really start seeing Sasuke as a friend (I'm pretty sure I can blame an overprotective father for that one), but we'll see where he takes us.

**Disclaimer**: I'm tired of this drill, aren't you?

* * *

(_Previously_…) (A/N: Now to be added as per the request of **LamboIsAnIdiot**)

_Pushing the distracting thoughts away, Jiraiya turned to Minato._

_"How are you here?" he finally asked the big question._

_"It's a long story," Minato declared._

_"I've got the time," Jiraiya replied stubbornly._

_Minato and Naruto looked at each other before sighing. There was no point wasting any time._

* * *

Chapter 28: A Troubling Discovery

Jiraiya rubbed at his temples, trying to absorb everything the two Namikaze men had shared with him.

He'd already known all about the invasion but the change in events brought on by the blondes and the knowledge of how Minato was tied to the living plane really gave him a headache.

"Who else knows about you?" he inquired. "Other than these two." He gestured to Ino and Gaara, both who admitted to being able to see Minato just as well as he and Naruto could.

"Kakashi-sensei and two foreign nin… Momochi Zabuza and his apprentice, Haku," Naruto explained, causing Jiraiya to raise his eyebrows.

"You let a nuke-nin in on all of this?" he asked incredulously. "What the hell were you thinking? What if he was to go to Iwa and speak of how you're still alive?"

"He won't," Minato replied. "Zabuza-san can be trusted. It was a gamble to tell him the truth but it all worked for the best. Besides, he would be a fool to try to go against me and he knows that. It's in his best interest to help us."

"I'll trust your judgment, Minato, but it was still a risky maneuver," Jiraiya berated. "With every new person you bring into the fold the more vulnerable you make yourself and Naruto."

"I'm aware," Minato admitted. "We're doing our best to keep my presence a secret. It's not the easiest thing, though… especially now that I seem to be exuding a much stronger presence than before."

"I wonder why that is," Jiraiya frowned. "When did you start noticing all of these changes?"

Minato looked thoughtful. "If I have to pinpoint when it all began, I would say it would be around the time Naruto became a Genin. People began to sense me more and many are beginning to realize that somebody is protecting Naruto."

"Do they know it's you?" Jiraiya asked sharply, concerned over the repercussions that could come with that.

"No," Naruto shook his head. "No one has got an inkling that it's actually him. After all, who would believe that the fabled Yondaime Hokage would protect me of all people?" Jiraiya and Minato frowned at the reminder of how people viewed Naruto in the village.

"Good," Jiraiya sighed in relief. Konoha couldn't afford the chaos that came with the news of the Yondaime Hokage's return. Not at the moment.

"So what are we going to do now?" Naruto wondered.

"Take the afternoon off," Jiraiya said. "I've got to do a few things before training can start."

"Alright…" Naruto agreed. He had no real complaints. He wanted the time to enjoy a proper reunion with his father. "How about you meet us at my apartment tomorrow morning? Do you need directions?"

"Don't you worry about it, brat. I know where it is," Jiraiya responded. "Just because I wasn't allowed to take custody of you or be a part of your life for the last thirteen years does not mean I didn't keep an eye on you. Who do you think pays for your apartment and all of your living needs anyways?"

Naruto frowned as he puzzled over that statement. He'd been given a monthly allowance from the Hokage to handle all of his needs. He'd always assumed it came from the Orphan's Fund, but the amount of money he'd been given was more than he would have gotten if that was the case.

"You're the one that the money comes from?" he realized, looking at Jiraiya with wide eyes.

The Sannin smiled wryly. "The money I earned from my books had to go somewhere, right?"

Minato gazed at his sensei incredulously. "That… smut… funds my son's livelihood?" he mused. "I don't know if I should laugh or cry."

"I'd recommend laughing," Jiraiya suggested. "Considering how all of the bastards who hate your son are essentially paying for everything."

Now Minato looked amused. That was kind of ironic.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Jiraiya bid the group farewell before walking away.

Minato turned to the three Genin once they all arrived at Naruto's apartment. "You did well," he complimented the young ones. He turned to Ino, who was gazing at him with awe. "I think a formal introduction is due, don't you? I'm Namikaze Minato, also known as the Yondaime Hokage, Konoha's Yellow Flash, and most affectionately as… Naruto's father and 'guardian angel.'"

"It's an honor to meet you, Yondaime-sama," Ino bowed politely.

"There's no need to be so formal with me, Ino-chan… I'm not the Hokage anymore," Minato pointed out.

"Still…" Ino protested. The man in front of her deserved all of the respect he'd been given. It felt weird to consider him as anything less than what he was.

"You'll get used to it," Naruto assured his friend with a smile.

Minato turned to Gaara, who was gazing at him shyly.

"You look better, Gaara-kun," Minato complimented. "Sleep has done wonders for you."

It was true. As Gaara regained his ability to sleep peacefully through the night, he had grown to look much healthier.

"It's thanks to you and Naruto… for that, I'm eternally grateful," Gaara declared, bowing.

"Don't mention it," the elder Namikaze replied. "I only did what should have been done long ago. You deserve to be happy."

Gaara just looked down.

Naruto and Minato glanced at each other. They would have to work hard to get Gaara to come out of his shell.

Minato turned his attention to his son, looking amused. "I find it ironic, Naruto, that I'm gone for a week and you adopt two new siblings in my place."

"Not in your place," Naruto argued back playfully. "In addition to you. I always wanted a big family."

"As did your mother," Minato stated affectionately.

'**Mothers,**' Kyuubi corrected almost instantly.

"So let me get this straight… now I have two sons, a daughter, and a vulpine granddaughter?" Minato mused as Sakuya leapt into his lap to be petted. She had missed him too.

"You forgot to mention your son-in-law," Ino added, looking amused at the look of chagrin that crossed Minato's face at the thought of Shikamaru.

"…And a son-in-law," he agreed grudgingly. 'That doesn't mean I have to like it…'

'**Be nice, dear,**' Kyuubi reprimanded. Minato just huffed.

"So we've got an entire afternoon just to ourselves," Naruto commented. "What do you all want to do?"

"I know what I want to do," Ino asserted, gazing up at the only adult present. "Do you have any interesting stories concerning when you were alive? I've always been curious about how things were before Kyuubi's attack but no one seems to want to talk about it. I suppose it kind of hurts to think back to what they once had."

Minato looked surprised and then noted that both Naruto and Gaara looked intrigued too. He couldn't help but chuckle in amusement at their curiosity.

"I think I might have a few…"

* * *

Asuma gazed at Jiraiya with a raised eyebrow.

"You want to train Ino? Might I ask why?" he queried.

"I can see that she has a lot of potential that she hasn't tapped into just yet. She's actually a little late in her development as one of Konoha's new generation of kunoichi and I figured I could help jump start her on the right path now that she's opened her eyes to her current limitations," Jiraiya admitted. "In addition, with her budding friendship with Naruto, she's bound to face many dangerous situations. I think she should be prepared for them, don't you?"

Asuma had to admit that Jiraiya had a point. He really could help Ino get stronger and prepare her for whatever was to come her way. "Then you have my permission."

"Good. Also, there is one more thing that I wanted to address with you…" the Sannin spoke, earning a curious look from the bearded Jounin.

"What is it?" Asuma inquired.

"I'd like to talk with one of your students… the Nara," Jiraiya declared.

"Shikamaru?" Asuma frowned in confusion. What did the legendary nin want with him?

"From what I hear, he's pursuing Naruto romantically, right? I wanted to talk to him about that," Jiraiya stated.

Asuma looked apprehensive. Would the Sannin try to put a stop to the relationship? The Sandaime's son hoped that wouldn't be the case. Naruto helped motivate Shikamaru in a way nobody else could. It was quite clear how much they cared about one another. Asuma would hate to see that shattered.

"Why?" he pressed. "I don't see how what they have has anything to do with you." He didn't know how Jiraiya and Naruto were related, so to him, it didn't make much sense at all.

"You know as well as I that getting involved with Naruto is nothing to laugh about. I want to make sure the boy is up to the task," Jiraiya responded.

"I know he is," Asuma replied with conviction. He would have been worried about it himself if he hadn't been so sure in Shikamaru's ability.

"I'll see that for myself," Jiraiya decided stubbornly and Asuma had to concede.

"I'll talk to Shikamaru and discuss a time in which the two of you can talk," the younger shinobi said.

Jiraiya seemed pleased with that response. "I'll see you later then," he replied before walking away.

Asuma glanced at the Sannin before sighing. "You better impress him, Shikamaru… or you'll lose Naruto…"

* * *

Baki gazed at Jiraiya, looking absolutely incredulous. What could the famed Sannin possibly want with his student? Could he know that Suna was working against Konoha alongside Orochimaru?

He couldn't… not if he was asking to train Gaara himself. There's no way that Jiraiya would make an offer to train a known enemy.

"Why should I let you?" Baki argued. It would actually be a good thing for Gaara to get trained by one of Konoha's strongest shinobi but there were a lot of risks as well.

"Because I can make him stronger than you can imagine and he will need that in the future," Jiraiya said.

"Why? He's strong enough," Baki countered.

"He's a Jinchuuriki," Jiraiya answered bluntly.

Baki froze. He hadn't expected anyone in Konoha to figure out that specific detail.

"There are people out there… extremely dangerous ones… that are interested in capturing the nine Bijuu for unknown reasons. You know as well as I do how bad that would be. Gaara truly is strong but even he would not stand a chance against them unless he gets stronger. It makes no difference to me if he's from Konoha or Suna. I just want to help keep him and the other Jinchuuriki out of harm's way," the Sannin reasoned.

"Who are these people?" Baki pressed, feeling apprehensive. Jiraiya had a point and the fact of the matter was that no one else in Suna would have cared for Gaara's safety other than Gaara's own team.

"An organization called Akatsuki… composed of nine of the Five Great Nations' most dangerous S-class nuke-nin," Jiraiya responded gravely.

Baki cursed. That didn't sound good at all. He could see why the Sannin was so determined to train Gaara now. If it meant Gaara would stand a better chance of survival against enemies of that caliber than the Suna Jounin really couldn't argue against Jiraiya training the boy, despite all of the risks.

"You have my permission," he stated reluctantly.

"I knew you would see things my way," Jiraiya mused. "See you later."

He had one last thing he wanted to check on…

* * *

"You want to see what?" Sarutobi gaped at his former student. Jiraiya couldn't be serious…

"I need to see Minato's body," Jiraiya stated. "I know it sounds crazy, Sensei, but there is something I have to see for myself."

"What is it exactly that you're looking for?" the Sandaime pressed.

"I don't really know," Jiraiya admitted. "I just need to see the body."

"Do you know how serious a request this is, Jiraiya-kun? Unearthing a body from its grave is no small matter, especially a _Hokage's_ body."

"I know that, Sensei, but I _have_ to do this," Jiraiya pleaded. "I'll never be able to rest until I address the situation."

"What exactly is this situation you speak of?" the aged Hokage wondered.

The Sannin averted his eyes. "It's personal," he replied evasively.

Sarutobi sighed in frustration. Jiraiya wasn't making this easy for him and yet, he knew the stubborn white-haired shinobi wouldn't relent now that he'd set his mind to the task.

"I really shouldn't be doing this," he sighed. "But I'll grant your request this once."

"Thank you," Jiraiya replied gratefully, bowing.

* * *

Jiraiya wandered through the inner corridors within the Yondaime's stone head, searching for the hidden cavern that held Minato's coffin.

His heart was beating rapidly at the thought of what he was about to do. Even knowing that Minato's soul still lingered in the living plane didn't help ease his nerves at the thought of what he would see when he unearthed the corpse of the one he loved like a son.

Nevertheless, he needed to see the body. He wanted to know if there was any sign on the body that reflected Minato's situation in some way or form. He didn't know what to expect but he would figure it out as he went.

'_Found it,_' Jiraiya thought as he came across the door to his student's tomb, going through the measures to unseal the door the way his Sensei had told him to.

Inside, he found an impressive, white marble coffin planted straight in the middle of the musty room, a familiar, tattered flame cloak draped over it like a shroud.

Swallowing audibly, Jiraiya approached the coffin carefully, slowly removing the cloak and putting it to the side gently so that he could remove the lid.

Sliding the lid off with care, the Sannin slowly cast his gaze onto the body, only for his heart to skip a beat at the shocking sight in front of him.

Where he'd expected to see a decaying corpse, lay the perfectly intact body of his most beloved student. He looked as if he was merely sleeping.

'_How is this possible?_' Jiraiya thought in shock. There was no way that the Yondaime should look like this thirteen years after his death.

"_Kai!_" he murmured as he made the hand seal. Instead of a Genjutsu being released, the body merely collapsed into a puddle of blood.

'_This isn't Minato's body… it's a Blood Clone!_' Jiraiya recognized the way the corpse had dispelled itself and there was no way that would happen naturally, which meant…

Minato's body had been stolen.

Whoever had done it had been completely meticulous. There was no piece of evidence left that could hint at the culprit.

The tomb appeared to have been completely undisturbed and given the fact that the seal protecting the tomb had still been intact proved that whoever had taken the body had done so before the Yondaime's corpse had been entombed.

'_For thirteen years, no one knew that anything was amiss,_' Jiraiya thought with frustration. The trail had gone cold.

There were many questions to be answered. Who stole the body? How did they manage to do it right underneath Konoha's nose? And why did they steal the corpse in the first place?

* * *

"I'm sorry I'm late," Iruka apologized to Jin as he met him outside of the Academy once the day's classes had finally ended.

"It's alright," Jin reassured the gentle-hearted brunette. "I didn't mind waiting. How could I when you so graciously offered me the chance to see the village through your eyes? I'm looking forward to it."

Iruka just smiled. "Let's go then, shall we?" he stated and they left the Academy. "So where would you like to go first?"

"How about the Hokage Monument?" Jin suggested. "I've heard many stories about the famous monument."

"I suppose that's a good place to start," Iruka agreed, gazing at the large mountain proudly.

"Every Hokage you've had has their face carved into the mountain," Jin mused. "It's interesting to see how each nation pays homage to their Kages. I hear Suna has statues of all of the past Kazekage present in their Council Room."

"Ah," Iruka agreed. "Two of my students hope to have their face carved up there on the mountain one day, although I guess I have to admit one of them isn't my student anymore."

"That former student… he wouldn't happen to be Uzumaki Naruto, would he?" Jin feigned ignorance. Iruka glanced at him in surprise.

"How did you know?" Iruka wondered.

"I noted his desire to be Hokage during the Preliminary matches. Somebody with a Will of Fire as strong as his can only have been one of your students. You seem to possess a strong belief in it yourself," Jin remarked.

Iruka flushed at the praise. "You barely even know me. How could you see that in me already?" the Chuunin queried.

"You can say I'm pretty good at understanding a person's character at first glance," the Iwa nin replied with a mysterious wink.

"That must be a useful trait," Iruka mused aloud.

"You have no idea," Jin replied. Iruka didn't manage to catch the dark undertone in the Iwa nin's voice. His attention had been caught by the tall, white-haired shinobi who had just leapt off of the Yondaime's stone head.

"I didn't know that you had returned to Konoha, Jiraiya-sama," Iruka commented, recognizing the famous shinobi.

Jiraiya blinked at the unfamiliar Chuunin who had addressed him. "Ah… I had some business to take care of," he simply responded. He looked the Chuunin over before his eyes fell on the Iwa nin beside him. They shared unfriendly looks with one another before Jiraiya turned back to the Academy teacher. "Who might you be?"

"Forgive me for not introducing myself earlier, Jiraiya-sama," Iruka apologized with a bow. "My name is Umino Iruka. I'm a teacher at the Academy in addition to working at the Missions office."

Recognition flared within Jiraiya. So this was the Chuunin that favored Naruto. A smile appeared on his face. "It's nice to meet you, Iruka-sensei. I've heard stories of how all of our mightiest Jounin quake in fear of your wrath. You must be very special to have managed that," he commended.

This made Jin raise his eyebrows. That was something he hadn't expected to learn about the sweet-natured brunette.

Iruka flushed. He hadn't thought his reputation could have possibly reached the Sannin's ears. "The Jounin can be… very trying," he defended his actions sheepishly.

Jiraiya chuckled. There's nothing wrong with asserting a little force with the lot. They need to stay on their toes. Keep up the good work," he replied.

"I will," Iruka conceded. "So what brings you to the Monument?"

"I was merely paying my respects to my student," Jiraiya declared, eyes darkening as the troubling situation concerning Minato's grave returned to the forefront of his mind. "I don't mean to be abrupt but I need to leave now." He walked off without another word.

Iruka's eyes glowed with compassion as he recalled that Jiraiya was the Yondaime Hokage's sensei. It must be hard for the man to return to Konoha for the first time since his beloved student had passed away. Iruka didn't want to think of how he would feel in Jiraiya's place. If anything were to happen to Naruto…

He quickly shook his head vigorously. He couldn't think like that. Naruto would be fine. He was sure of it. The boy was strong and his desire to live and persevere was second to none.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Jin queried, noting the glazed look in Iruka's eyes. The man quickly snapped out of his reverie.

"It's nothing," Iruka denied, a sheepish look on his face. "I was just thinking that I'm getting a little hungry. Do you mind if we make a pit stop in the middle of your tour?"

"I don't mind at all," Jin responded. "Lead the way." The tour really didn't mean much to him, after all. He just wanted to learn more about Iruka and he was already beginning to pick up on what set the brunette apart from the other Chuunin.

'_I understand why you're stuck on courting this Chuunin, Hatake… I can't wait to learn more…_' Jin thought deviously, eyeing Iruka with greater interest than before.

* * *

"…What do you mean Minato's body is missing?" the Sandaime Hokage demanded when Jiraiya returned to convey the disturbing news.

"Somebody managed to steal the body and replace it with a Blood Clone. From my investigations, I can only say that it happened between the autopsy and the transfer to the tomb," Jiraiya stated.

"We had Minato's body under constant surveillance. Who could have pulled this off without any of us knowing?" the Hokage wondered.

"I don't know," the Sannin replied with frustration clear in his voice. "Whoever it was, he was thorough. He left no trace of what happened behind. Even if there was, given how much time has passed, any possible evidence wouldn't have helped."

Teacher and student glanced at each other, processing just how dire the situation was. Some person had the body of the most powerful shinobi Konoha had ever produced. It was a serious matter.

The question was… if Minato's body had been gone for so long, why hadn't they ever caught word of the Yondaime's secrets being compromised? Surely whoever stole it would have taken advantage of the secrets Minato's body had, right? Why else would anyone steal the body?

"What should we do, Sensei?" Jiraiya wondered.

"For now, we keep it silent," Sarutobi answered. "If what you've told me about Oto and Suna is true, Konoha can't afford more chaos at the moment. After we've dealt with this problem, we'll handle this one."

Jiraiya had to concede that it was a wise decision. If the villagers learned about the missing body, they would all panic, leaving the village vulnerable to Orochimaru.

"What about Naruto?" Jiraiya queried.

"Don't tell him either," the Hokage replied.

"Why not? He deserves to know," Jiraiya argued.

Sarutobi fixed his student with a look. "Tell me, Jiraiya-kun… what will Naruto do if he learns that his father's body has been stolen?"

Realization dawned on Jiraiya. "He will drop everything and hunt down the culprit instead," he confirmed. Even he could see that was the last thing they could afford, especially with Akatsuki out and about, even if Minato was there to protect the child.

Minato was strong and Jiraiya was confident that he would be more than able to defeat any of the known Akatsuki members but the Sannin could see that the blonde Hokage only held a fraction of his former power. If Minato had been at his best, Jiraiya would have never managed to land a hit on his former student.

For now, he would keep this piece of information to himself, for their sake more than anything else.

'_I'll find the truth myself,_' he promised himself.

* * *

Miles away from Konoha, a spark of realization flashed through the sole Sharingan eye of one Uchiha Madara.

"So the clone finally dispersed…" he mused to himself with a dark chuckle. "I expected it to happen sooner. Konoha has become truly weak if it took this many years to discover what I did, isn't that right, Minato-kun?"

The masked man turned to look at the glass coffin behind him, which was not only surrounded by a large stasis field but was also filled with a clear, regenerative fluid. Floating within the fluid was the body of one Namikaze Minato, looking exactly the way he had on the night that he had died. The main difference lay in the fact that his body no longer held any trace of battle injuries or scars. He was perfectly unmarred, the way Madara thought he should be.

"You thought you could escape me through death, Yondaime-sama, but I'll never let you go. Your life was never your own to give away… it's _mine_, and one day, you _will_ know that," he said darkly, not particularly caring that he was talking to a dead body.

After all, if everything went his way, Minato wouldn't be dead for much longer…


	30. Interesting Proposals

Hey, I'm finally here with another chapter. I'm really sorry I took so long to get this chapter up. I admittedly finished writing this chapter quite a while ago but getting it typed up and ready to post took a lot of time to balance out with adjusting to the schedule I've got at school. I hope you enjoy it and I'll try to be more frequent in my updates.

I know Madara was super creepy in the last chapter but I have to admit… he's really fun to write that way, I don't know why. Maybe because imagining him getting the appropriate retribution later on becomes more sadistically satisfying? We'll see, lol.

**PunkHime: **Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying the story. You do bring up a point about the future children ordeal. I'm still deciding on it. In the end, I think the thought of children will be saved for a sequel or something as to not deter from the main concept of this particular story.

**HiemalMoonlightMidnight:** Thank you for the criticism. Admittedly, some of the things I hinted at I planned to utilize for the spinoff story that's meant to help fill in some of the loose ends without interfering with the flow of the main story. If there is anything that you would like to see explained, feel free to make suggestions. And as to my medical education, I've only just started and I'm keeping an open mind towards whatever comes my way. As for now, I haven't quite learned enough to feel comfortable incorporating it in the story, but eventually, I might have enough background to do just that.

**Matsumotomoon:** The story is taking a bit of a darker edge to it, isn't it? Sorry about that but it's all happening for a reason. Don't worry, the fluff will be back.

**Sefiriot:** Wow, you've put some thought into all of this and I admit that I have been thinking of how Minato's body weakness will affect him when he finally gets it back. Should be fun.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto. If I did, Sasuke would be dead already.

* * *

Chapter 29: Interesting Proposals

'_I should get Naruto a better apartment,_' Jiraiya thought to himself as he walked through the shady parts of the village on his way to the blonde's apartment. His godson deserved better.

When he finally arrived, he knocked on the door and waited.

"It's open," he heard Minato's voice from inside.

Silently wondering what was keeping the older blonde from coming to dinner, Jiraiya entered the apartment.

What he saw made him burst out laughing.

Minato was in the kitchen with his sleeves pulled up and he was wearing an apron as he cooked the food and a bandana keeping his hair out of his way and a smudge of flour on his nose and cheeks.

"What's so funny?" Minato frowned in confusion. He didn't understand the source of Jiraiya's amusement.

"You look so domestic," Jiraiya snickered. "I never thought I would see the day. So what exactly are you doing, Mister Mom?"

Minato pouted in displeasure as he grudgingly answered his Sensei. "I'm making breakfast for the kids. Somebody has to make sure that they eat right. If I didn't, Naruto would most likely eat ramen for every meal."

"I would not!" Naruto cried out as he, Gaara, and Ino stepped out of the bathroom, where they'd all been talking.

Minato gave Naruto a pointed look. "Wouldn't you?" he countred, causing Naruto to waver.

"Okay, maybe I would," Naruto finally gave in, causing Minato to grin and ruffle his hair playfully. Naruto squirmed out of the elder man's grasp and scowled at him. "Tou-san…" he whined. "Not in front of everybody."

"Oh?" Minato commented, an evil gleam appearing in his eyes. "Come here." He pulled Naruto to him and started ruffling his hair more. Naruto let out a loud yell of complaint and struggled against Minato's hold.

"Fatherhood suits you," Jiraiya remarked, seeing how Minato and Naruto practically glowed in each other's presence.

Minato simply smiled.

Jiraiya turned his attention to the three teenagers. "So are you ready to start training? Your respective Jounin-sensei have given their permission."

Naruto, Ino, and Gaara exchanged looks. This was what they'd been waiting for. They nodded profusely.

"Then we'll head out once you've finished eating," Jiraiya declared.

The kids immediately dove into their food.

"Eat slowly!" Minato scolded them. "The food isn't gooding anywhere!"

"I don't want to waste any time!" Naruto stated between bites. "Training waits for no one!"

"You were never this excited when I train you," Minato actually looked affronted.

"You're a slave driver," Naruto countered matter-of-factly.

Minato's eyebrow twitched at those words. "A slave driver, am I?" he repeated. "I'll make you eat those words, musuko."

Naruto felt a shiver run down his back at the evil look Minato was giving him. Maybe he shouldn't have mouthed off like that.

Ino and Gaara exchanged amused looks. Naruto really was at his liveliest with his father by his side.

"You're a good cook, Yondaime-sama," Ino complimented as she ate.

He shot a pointed look at her. "What did I tell you, Ino-chan?" the older shinobi queried.

"… Not to call you that," Ino replied, chastised. "I'll try to remember that now, Namikaze-sama."

Minato sighed in disappointment. So much for getting her to be less formal with him. Then again, he supposed this was most likely a big thing for her. It's not every day she met a supposedly dead legend after all.

'**It will come with time, my love,**' Kyuubi responded.

'I suppose it will,' Minato agreed.

* * *

'_I can't believe I lost to the dobe,_' Kiba thought sulkily as he walked through the long hallways of the hospital. He had been so sure that he would win… especially because Naruto's protector wouldn't be in the way like he always was.

Kiba shiverd as he thought back to the sheer anger that Naruto had exuded when the dog nin had insulted the guardian. He hadn't imagined Naruto being capable of showing such strong negative emotions. The boy had been treated like dirt all of his life but Naruto had never fought for his honor the way he had for his protector. Just how much did the mysterious angel really mean to the dobe?

He broke from his thoughts when he finally arrived at Hinata's room. She had only recently woke up from what Kurenai-sensei had told him.

Seeing her in such a frail state made Kiba's heart hurt.

"Oh, Hinata…" he sighed. "I told you that if you went up against Neji, you'd get hurt."

The young Hyuuga heiress looked at him sadly. "You don't believe that I could have won, Kiba-kun?" she inquired, sounding hurt. Kiba was quick to amend his words..

"It's not that," he protested. "You're really strong, Hinata, but Neji… he would have done anything and everything to hurt you… no matter how dirty the move. I didn't want to see that happen."

"I was well aware that he wouldn't make things easy," Hinata stated, eyes downcast. "But I had a point to make and I wasn't going to give up just because I could get hurt. That's not my nindo."

"You sound just like the dobe," Kiba commented wryly. As much as he and Naruto didn't get along, Kiba admired how Naruto had changed Hinata.

"There is nothing wrong with standing up for what you believe in," Hinata pointed out. "Naruto-kun has been doing that all of his life… and so shall I."

Kiba looked a little sour. "I still don't see what's so special about Blondie. He's a stupid loudmouth who wears too much orange and doesn't know when to quit," he griped hotly. It irked him to see just how close Hinata and Naruto were. Hinata was _his_ teammate.

Hinata fixed Kiba with a look. "Can you honestly believe that after you lost to Naruto yesterday?" she questioned, causing Kiba to falter.

Naruto had shown a completely different side during the fight, proving to everyone who watched that he was _not_ a dobe. He silently wondered how Naruto became so good in such a short time… Surely, Hatake Kakashi wasn't _that_ good of a teacher. He barely taught Sakura anything. How could he have pulled off such a big success with Naruto, who hadn't shown any talent during the Academy?

"Naruto's stronger than he lets on. He's _always_ been stronger," Hinata stated. "He just hides it."

"But why?" Kiba frowned. "If I were that strong, I would flaunt it."

"That's what sets you apart," Hinata declared. "I don't know his exact reasons any more than you do but even I can tell he's trying to protect something… or someone."

"Who could he possibly want to protect?" Kiba wondered, a little irate over the mystery that was Naruto.

"Who has he been most secretive about?" Hinata hinted and Kiba's eyebrows raised.

"He's protecting the angel? I thought the angel protected _him_," the rash brunette frowned in confusion.

"Maybe it's a two way street," Hinata reasoned. "I don't think their relationship is that of a protector and his protectee. I think it's closer… like a parent and his child."

Kiba suddenly got struck with a realization. "Well… that would explain why he got so angry with me…" he mused. Now he felt guilty. He would have been just as pissed as Naruto had been if someone had insulted his mother. "…I'm going to have to apologize to him, aren't I?" he said sheepishly.

"You better,"" Hinata responded firmly. "What on Earth drove you to be so harsh with him, Kiba-kun? It doesn't make any sense. Just what could you be jealous of?"

"…Your relationship," Kiba muttered under his breath. Hinata blinked.

"Excuse me?" she frowned. She wasn't sure she had heard right.

"I was jealous of your relationship, alright? You act so much more openly with him than you ever have with either Shino or I. It's not fair. We're your teammates, aren't we? I just wanted you to open up to us but all you see is Naruto," Kiba exclaimed.

Hinata gazed upon Kiba in surprise. "… I didn't think you thought like that," she murmured. "You know I care about both you and Shino, right? I've just been friends with Naruto longer. It's to be expected that I'd seem closer to him because of that. It does not mean you or Shino mean anything less to me. I care for all three of you equally."

"I do," Kiba admitted. "It's just that…"

"Just what, Kiba-kun?" Hinata pressed.

"I like you, Hinata," Kiba blurted out.

"I like you too, Kiba-kun," Hinata blinked, not quite getting it.

"No, Hinata… I mean I _like_ you… as in more than a friend," the dog nin admitted, flushing a vibrant red.

Hinata soon matched the color. "…Oh," she replied shyly, playing with her fingers. She hadn't really imagined that her feelings would be returned. "I like you too…" she finally spoke up.

Kiba brightened up instantly. "You do?" he asked excitedly and she nodded. Grinning widely, he hugged her, barely remembering to be gentle in consideration of her injuries. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that."

Hinata just smiled shyly before looking stern. "I like you, Kiba-kun, but if you want to be able to date me, you're going to have to apologize to Naruto-kun and gain his forgiveness first."

Kiba groaned. He knew he needed to apologize to Naruto. He had no problem with that, but… gaining Naruto's forgiveness would be hard. He took a deep breath. He supposed this was Hinata's way of punishing him for his displeasing actions during the Chuunin Exams.

"…Fine," he grudgingly agreed.

* * *

Jiraiya stared at his three new students, pondering over what he should start them out on. It had been a long time since he'd last taken a student… especially three at once.

For a moment, he swore he saw the image of Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan replace the forms of Naruto, Gaara, and Ino but it quickly vanished.

'_Stop thinking of the past… I won't fail with these three,_' Jiraiya regained his resolve. He had faith in Naruto and his friends. "So considering you guys just ate breakfast, I wouldn't recommend doing any physical activity just yet. Therefore, I'm going to set you three up with some jutsu that you should learn. Ino, for now, I think it would be best to advance your Genjutsu knowledge. I believe that would work best with your family jutsu. Gaara, we'll get you set up with some offensive and defensive jutsu that won't rely solely on your sand. If someone finds a way to neutralize your sand, we don't want you defenseless. Naruto, I think it's time that you learned how to summon."

Naruto looked intrigued. "You mean I'll get to sign the Toad Summoning Contract?" he asked eagerly.

"That's right," Jiraiya stated as he pulled out two scrolls. One he tossed to Ino and the other to Gaara. After that, he quickly retrieved the Toad Contract. Unraveling it, he gestured to Naruto where he was supposed to sign, right next to the panel with his father's name.

Naruto knelt down so he could do so when his face scrunched up.

"What's wrong, Naruto?" Minato asked, fully materialized.

"What name do I write down? Uzumaki Naruto or Namikaze Naruto?" he queried, explaining his dilemma. To everyone, he was Uzumaki Naruto, but his rightful name was Namikaze Naruto, and considering he knew that, he didn't know which one to put down.

"That's a good question…" Minato mused. There was nothing more he would like to see than his son possessing his surname as he should, but at the same time, he'd hate to see the Kushina in him get suppressed with the loss of her surname.

"How about you make a compromise?" Jiraiya suggested. "Write down Uzumaki-Namikaze Naruto."

"That sounds good to me," Naruto agreed, pleased with the combination. This way, he could honor both his mother and father in his name. After he finished signing his name in blood, he looked up at Jiraiya. "Now what?"

"Now you'll learn how to cast the jutsu. It will take a lot of chakra, so keep that in mind when you do it," Jiraiya instructed as he began to officially train the trio.

Jiraiya observed Naruto perched on GamaBunta in stunned silence. He turned to the greatly amused Minato, who was standing beside him, with a look of sheer awe on his face. "I had a feeling he'd inherited your genius but this is _too_ much."

Minato laughed merrily, proud of his son's achievement. "What did you expect? Summoning takes skill, a lot of chakra and good chakra control. Naruto has a great deal of innate skill, more chakra than any of us could hope to use fully, and a chakra control well-tempered by both Kyuubi and I. Is there really any reason to wonder?"

"When you put it like that, I suppose not," Jiraiya responded, scratching the back of his head. "But still… on the first _try_?"

"Jiraiya!" GamaBunta's voice boomed through the air, causing the Sannin to flinch. "You summon me for no apparent reason and now you're talking to yourself? I will not be summoned by a mad man!"

"I didn't summon you," Jiraiya protested meekly. "And I'm not crazy." Although he supposed he must have looked that way for talking to someone that the Toad Boss couldn't see.

"What do you mean you didn't summon me? Who else could it have been other than you?" GamaBunta frowned.

"Me," Naruto replied from his perch on top of the toad. He leapt off so that the Summon could get a good look at his new summoner.

GamaBunta focused his beady eyes on the small form in front of him. At first, he wanted to scoff at the thought of a mere child being able to summon him but then he noticed something. He turned to Jiraiya. "He's Minato's boy, isn't he?"

Jiraiya nodded solemnly. Maybe now the Toad Boss would accept that Naruto had summoned him. After all, his heritage was enough of a reason for him to be a Toad Summoner.

"It doesn't change anything. You still need to prove yourself to me, brat," GamaBunta told Naruto gruffly. "We still need to share a drink together."

"But I'm too young," Naruto protested with a small frown.

"That does not matter," GamaBunta answered stubbornly before he felt a surge of chakra run through him.

"How about I drink in his place?" Minato offered with a smile, enjoying the gaping look on the toad's face.

"It can't be!" the Toad Boss exclaimed before turning to Jiraiya. "You've infected me with your insanity!"

"I most certainly have not!" Jiraiya retorted, offended. "He's really here."

"It's not possible! He's dead. We _felt_ him go!" GamaBunta exclaimed in denial.

"I _am_ dead," Minato said firmly. "Well… sort of. I'm not dead or alive now that I thnk about it."

"That doesn't make any sense!" the summon frowned.

"I know it doesn't," Minato replied patiently. "It's a complicated situation. Let's just say… the Shinigami believes I still have a purpose on this plane of existence."

"What makes you so special?" GamaBunta frowned, even though he felt that he may already know the reason.

"He's the savior we've been looking for. How much more special does he need to be?" Jiraiya countered.

"I'm not the savior, that's Naruto," Minato denied with a shake of his head.

"You both are the saviors," Jiraiya responded. "What other reason would the Shinigami choose to bind you two together?"

"It does make sense," Ino inserted, having paused in her own training to observe the spectacle.

Gaara nodded in simple agreement.

"Fine," Minato conceded reluctantly. He turned back to the Toad Boss. "So am I a suitable substitute?"

GamaBunta looked reluctant. "There have never been any substitutions before…"

Minato's eyes turned steely. "Are you telling me you're going to coerce my underage _son_ into doing something neither he nor I approve of?" he queried, the threat clear in his voice as a Rasengan began to form in his hand.

A shiver visibly ran through the Toad Summon. "O-on the other hand, I think I can make an exception this once…" he stammered.

Naruto, Ino, and Gaara couldn't help but grin over the Yondaime's quick victory.

* * *

Kakashi observed Sasuke as he trained furiously. He hated being obligated to train the apoiled brat. It left a bad taste in his mouth… especially knowing that as an Uchiha, Sasuke was Naruto's natural enemy. He felt like working with Sasuke was like a betrayal to the family he'd taken as his own.

He had no choice, however. There was no way he would allow Sasuke to be enticed to join Orochimaru. He still felt shivers from the encounter he'd had with the Snake Sannin when he had subdued the Cursed Seal.

The Sharingan in Orochimaru's hands would be a terrible development for Konoha… or even the entirety of the Shinobi Continent.

He not only feared for how dangerous the man would become but if he took over Sasuke's body and looked at Naruto with his new Sharingan… he felt queasy just thinking about it.

The only consolation he got was the thought of the brutal manner in which Minato would dispatch the bastard if that were to happen.

He broke out of his reverie when he found Sasuke glowering at him. "What is it?" he asked, sounding tired.

"When are you going t teach me something useful? You've got me stuck doing laps, stretches, and other mindless exercises!" Sasuke exclaimed irately.

Kakashi rolled his eye. "You said that you wanted to get as fast as Naruto, didn't you?" he spoke up as if Sasuke was an absolute idiot. "This is the way to do it."

"There must be a faster way to do this," Sasuke protested.

"There are no worthwhile shortcuts to getting strong," Kakashi answered bluntly, much to Sasuke's frustration.

As Sasuke resumed his exercises, Kakashi smirked evilly.

He may not be able to escape training Sasuke but he could choose what he learned and how fast he learned it…

* * *

Shikamaru turned to Chouji with a raised eyebrow. "You want me to take Naruto out on a date?" he queried incredulously.

"You should," Chouji stated. "If you really care for the blonde, you'd show it."

"What do you think I did during the Preliminary matches?" the lazy genius countered hotly.

"You staked a claim... but that's it," Chouji stated. "You need to prove that you're serious about him... or is Kiba right about you merely playing around with him?"

Shikamaru looked up sharply. "You're wrong," he stated. "I'd never do that to Naruto! He knows that but if I really have to prove myself, I'll take him on that date!" the pineapple head declared.

Chouji smirked. His friend was so predictable if you knew how to play him right. "Great. I expect you to ask him out by the end of the day."

Shikamaru faltered at the sight of his friend's glee. "Why do I have a feeling that I've been had?" he sulked.

"I know you better than anyone, Shikamaru. I know how to get you to do things," Chouji answered smugly.

"But why insist on this?" Shikamaru inquired, puzzled.

"Naruto's my friend too, you know. I want him to be happy as much as you. Somebody has to help you get off your lazy ass. If you don't step up, Sasuke or Daichi might steal Naruto away," Chouji stated.

"I won't let that happen," Shikamaru promised, eyes narrowed at the thought of the two shady Genin getting their hands on the object of his affections. He would fight tooth and nail to keep them away.

"You won't be able to stop it," a cold voice rang out.

Chouji and Shikamaru turned around to see Daichi standing there with a sneer on his face.

"Do you honestly think that you deserve Naruto? You're weak, pathetic, and a coward. He can do a lot better," Daichi attacked Shikamaru verbally.

"I know he can," Shikamaru replied evenly. His eyes darkeneed as he glared at Daichi. "Nevertheless, he returns my feelings and as long as he does, he's mine. There's nothing that you can do about it."

Daichi just maintained his own glare. "We'll see," he replied coolly before walking away.

Chouji turned to Shikamaru, looking concerned. "He might cause trouble in the future," he remarked.

"Without a doubt," Shikamaru agreed. "We'll just have to prepare for it."

* * *

Daichi wandered through Konoha, trying to make sense of the conflicting emotions coursing through him.

He was supposed to hate Naruto, and yet... he couldn't bring himself to do that. He was the son of his most despised enemy but Daichi found that he no longer saw him simply as that. Naruto's determination, strong will, and pure enthusiasm for the shinobi arts had won Daichi over, much to his chagrin.

If he wanted to get rid of these accursed emotions he was going to have to crush Naruto soundly and he knew just how to do it.

* * *

Naruto and Minato glanced at Jiraiya curiously.

"You want us to experiment with our bond in battle conditions?" Naruto frowned.

Jiraiya nodded. "Your bond was forged by the Shinigami himself. From what you told me, you have mostly worked as two separate entities working together. I'm curious to know how much stronger you could become if you work as one entity," the Sannin mused.

"You're talking about synchronization," Minato was able to quickly ascertain Jiraiya's intention.

"Sharp as always, Minato," Jiraiya smiled fondly, remembering why he'd enjoyed teaching the elder blonde. He was always quick on the uptake.

"We've never considered the idea," the Yondaime admitted. "We always thought of how to amplify our strengths as separate individuals."

"If that was all the Shinigami had planned for you, you would not be sealed within Naruto," the Sannin theorized. "I think he intended for you to to amplify each other's abilities in an entirely different manner. If you two became truly synchronized, I believe your strength would skyrocket exponentially."

"Do you really think that could work?" Naruto wondered. It didn't seem very easy.

"It's worth a try," the boy's godfather answered. "I don't exactly know how you can go about doing it, given there has never been a case like the two of you before, but I say you should try to start thinking and acting as a unit."

"You believe that if we synchronize physically and mentally, it may help us synchronize on a higher level," Minato realized. It really would be hard. They could achieve physical synchronization well enough, but mental synchronization would be harder. While he and Naruto were similar in nature and they knew quite a bit about one another due to being bound together, their thoughts were still 100% their own. It would be difficult to bring those together.

"I like a challenge," Naruto answered, choosing to be optimistic about the situation. It would be fun to see if he and his father could achieve the level of synchronization that the Sannin spoke of.

"I hope you know, Minato, that this means you will be doing all of the same training as Naruto for the sake of the synchronization," Jiraiya commented.

"I'm aware," Minato stated. The training wouldn't be difficult for him. He'd done it all before, after all. What would be difficult was matching Naruto's level while doing it. "Let's get started, Naruto."

* * *

Naruto groaned as he trudged back towards his home. Minato followed after him, copying Naruto's stance and pace, which would have looked very amusing if anybody had been capable of seeing him.

"So tired..." the young blonde complained. They'd all done a lot during training.

Jiraiya had started assessing Gaara and Ino's Taijutsu while Minato and Naruto had run laps, did Fuuinjutsu training, chakra control practice, and they worked on elemental manipulation. Each of these exercises had helped the two make a step in the right direction with synchronization.

With the knowedge of synchronizing chakra, Minato highy anticipated the time he would teach Naruto how to use the Rasengan. If they were to combine their respective Rasengans together... he grew excited over the thought of what they could produce.

"You were the one excited over training," Minato stated simply with a shrug. Naruto just glowered.

As he arrived at his apartment, Naruto was surorised to see Shikamaru waiting for him.

"Shikamaru?" he brought attention to himself.

The dark haired genius turned to him and smiled brilliantly at the sight of him, causing Naruto to flush.

"I'm out of here," Minato asserted, not wanting much to do with their conversation. He sank back into the seal instantly. Naruto just rolled his eyes.

"It looks like you've been working hard," Shikamaru remarked, seeing Naruto's messy appearance.

"Yeah... There's a lot to work on before the Finals," Naruto commented and Shikamaru had to agree. "Have you been waiting long?"

"Not too long," Shikamaru denied. "I have something to ask you."

"Shoot," Naruto stated curious to know what the brunette had to say. The lazy Genin began to blush as he scratched the back of his head.

"Are you free tomorrow night?" Shikamaru asked after a few minutes of silence.

"I should be, why do you ask?" Naruto responded, oblivious to Shikamaru's intentions.

"Meet me at the Hokage Monument tomorrow at midnight," Shikamaru instructed the blonde and it finally dawned on Naruto what Shikamaru was doing.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" he asked shyly and the genius nodded, looking a little embarrassed.

"Do you want to go?" the dark-eyed Genin asked, hoping for a positive response.

"I'd love to," the blonde answered and Shikamaru brightened up instantly.

"Great!" he stated, sounding almost enthusiastic. "I'll see you then."

He started walking away before pausing as he remembered something. He quickly came back and gave the tired blonde a short, but sweet, kiss. "Good night," he said before departing for real.

Naruto stared after Shikamaru with a goofy grin on his face before walking into his apartment.

Neither of them noticed a certain Iwa nin spying on them.


	31. Happiness Shattered

Hey, I'm back. Sorry I took long again. Med school's been kicking my ass. Barely survived through the second set of exams *curses*. I've got mixed feelings about this chapter. There's both happy moments and some upsetting ones, but I hope you'll be okay with it. Be patient. Things will get better.

**Taira-keimei**: Glad you're enjoying it. The Yondaime's my favorite character so I find it cool that you've grown to like him too, lol.

**Cerulai**: Thanks for the comments. I'll keep it in mind and try to improve on my characterization where I can. Some parts will have to stick, of course, but I appreciate your input. The plot's been taking a bit of a mind of its own and all I've been able to do is follow but hopefully, I'll be able to turn things back on track.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto. Just the story.

* * *

Chapter 30: Happiness Shattered

The next morning, Ino, Gaara and Jiraiya were greeted by the sight of an insanely happy-looking Naruto and a grouchy Minato arriving at the training grounds.

"I thought I told you to attempt synchronization," Jiraiya scolded, mostly focusing on Minato. Honestly, he was a former Hokage… he should understand the importance of obeying the orders of one's sensei. "You aren't even _trying_."

Minato glowered. "You try to do that when your partner is acting like _that_," he gestured to Naruto.

"How long has he been like this?" Ino asked, curious to know what had happened.

"Since last night," Minato explained. "Ever since that _boy_ came to visit him."

Hearing the distaste in Minato's voice, Ino and Gaara could only discern that the Hokage was talking about Shikamaru. If it was any other boy, Naruto wouldn't look half as happy.

"What did he want?" the ever calm Gaara urged his new paternal figure to go on with his tale.

"We all want to hear this," Jiraiya stated as he tested Naruto's level of consciousness. The young blonde wasn't responding to very much. What had turned his godson into this lovesick fool?

"…He was asked out on a date," Minato admitted quite reluctantly. He was quick to wince as Ino let out a loud, excited squeal.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you, Naruto!" she cried out, glomping the boy and they broke out into enthusiastic chatter as Naruto finally broke out of his daze in the face of her affection.

Jiraiya scowled. "I should have got to the boy sooner," he mused aloud. He hadn't thought the lazy genius would have made a move this quickly. Minato gave him a sour look.

"You should have," he agreed. He was slowly accepting that Naruto was entering the stage where he sought out romantic companionship but he wasn't quite ready to let go of him yet. He wasn't used to needing to share his son with anyone. He was always Naruto's number one.

"You're not going to be valued any less by Naruto being with Shikamaru, you know," Gaara snapped through Minato's sulking.

"Hmm?" Minato acknowledged Gaara's words, gazing at the young boy curiously.

"You feel threatened by Shikamaru encroaching on what you perceive as your territory but that's not the case. Yes, he cares for Naruto and Naruto for him, but how is that any different from Jiraiya-sensei, Ino, and I? He just wants to be a part of Naruto's life. Can you really fault him for that?" Gaara inquired.

'**He speaks wisely for one so young,**' Kyuubi remarked as Minato was suitably chastised for his irrational jealousy.

'He does,' the Yondaime agreed readily. Seeing that Gaara looked uncertain over having spoke out the way he had, the blonde was quick to reassure him.

The elder man placed a hand on the Genin's head, ruffling his crimson locks. "Gaara, have you ever considered becoming a Kage? You would be a good one," he said genially, kneeling down to be level with his adopted son. "You certainly have a way with words. You put me in my place, after all."

"I wasn't trying to do that. I just wanted to help you see the other side of the story," Gaara commented shyly. "I've never considered becoming a Kage. No one in Suna would ever accept having me as their leader."

"Well… you'll just have to change that, won't you?" Minato smiled. "You're a brilliant young shinobi… with more potential than you can possibly imagine. People will see that with time."

"Do you really think so?" Gaara wondered.

"I know it," Minato confirmed with a bright smile. "I believe in you."

A hot rush of emotion ran through Gaara and the next thing the Yellow Flash knew, he was being embraced by the shy Genin.

Minato gazed upon the redhead with surprise, never expecting such a reaction, but then he smiled as he gave the affection-starved child exactly what he needed.

"Thank you…" Gaara murmured against his chest.

"You're welcome," the adult answered kindly, tightening his arms around the boy.

"We want in!" Naruto yelled loudly as he and Ino tackled the Hokage and Suna nin, knocking them off their feet and into a large heap on the ground.

"Geez, Minato… you've really built yourself a brood of you own. Are you sure you're up to the task of taking care of all of them?" Jiraiya asked.

Minato smiled from where he lay pinned beneath the three teenagers. "I once took care of the entirety of Konoha. I think I can take care of the three of them just fine."

"I hope so," Jiraiya answered. "They'll be a handful."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Minato asserted.

"You better not, Tou-san," Naruto fixed his father with a look. "You're stuck with us for life. You're ours now and we're not giving you up." Both Ino and Gaara nodded in agreement.

Minato's lips quirked in amusement before he replaced it with a look of mock distress. "What have I done to deserve such possessive children?"

"By being a possessive father," all three Genin chorused before breaking out into laughter.

"Guilty as charged," the Yondaime agreed as he sat up and wrapped his long arms around them. "_Mine_."

"Are all of you done acting like the Uchihas now?" Jiraiya queried, instantly earning four fiery glares from the group.

"Here's a new training exercise for the lot of you," Minato began, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Get him."

"Hai!" the three Genin accepted their orders with glee as they launched themselves at the unprepared Sannin, starting up a fierce and exciting spar.

Minato watched in amusement as the four of them mock battled. He was glad to see how close they'd all become. They were good influences on each other, especially with Gaara.

They were helping the taciturn Jinchuuriki come out of his shell by showing him what it was like to have someone who cared for them. Minato couldn't ask for more.

He could only hope this bond between them would remain strong. He had a feeling it would be important in the future.

* * *

"What does a Sannin want with me?" Shikamaru frowned in confusion. He couldn't think of any reason for the summons. He was just a Genin… and not a particularly eye-catching one like Sasuke or Neji.

"It's about Naruto," Asuma explained, scratching at his beard. It would be difficult to tell Shikamaru of the true purpose of the meeting without getting into what was so special about Naruto. He wishes to speak to you about your relationship with him."

"Why should he care?" Shikamaru scowled. "How is it any of his business what goes on between us?"

"I'm not entirely sure…" Asuma admitted. He still didn't understand Jiraiya's reasoning. He didn't honestly believe that it had anything to do with Naruto being a Jinchuuriki. "Nevertheless, I'd advise you to go see him. Something tells me that if you don't… or if you fail to impress him… you will never see Naruto again." He hated putting that stricken look on Shikamaru's face but he had to make sure the young teenager was aware of the reality of the situation. He couldn't just pass it off as too troublesome this time.

"He can't do that!" Shikamaru argued with a scowl.

"He's a Sannin, Shikamaru. He can do anything he wants. If he feels it necessary, he could even take Naruto away from the village and he'd be well within his rights," Asuma said gravely. It would be a blow to Konoha if their resident Jinchuuriki was taken away, but it wasn't forbidden.

"He's not Naruto's guardian. How could he have such rights?" Shikamaru frowned.

"Naruto is my father's ward," Asuma told Shikamaru. "Nevertheless, I've always felt as if the Sandaime was only acting as a stand in for someone else. I have a feeling Jiraiya has more ties to having custody of Naruto then we really know."

"Great… another mystery that's tied with Naruto. Is there anything about him that is straightforward?" the genius pondered.

* * *

Naruto yelped as he and his father slipped off their respective trees.

"This shouldn't be hard," the younger blonde complained as he brushed himself off.

"Controlling your own chakra is one thing, controlling it and matching it to mine is another," Minato answered. "Maybe simply trying to have a basic feel for it isn't the right way to go about this… I'll be right back."

Naruto stared as his father sank back into the seal.

'**What are you doing?**' Kyuubi asked curiously.

'You'll see,' Minato replied as he headed straight for the core of Naruto's chakra. He observed the four threads of foreign chakra that were wrapped around it: two red, one gold, and one black. Of the two red threads, the thicker one belonged to Kyuubi and the other to Kushina. The black thread belonged to the Shinigami, resonating with only the minimum amount of energy needed to maintain the bond. His own golden thread was strong ad thick, a reflection of his bond with his son. He noted that the Shinigami's black thread and Kyuubi's red thread were wrapped around his own as well, representing his own role as Kyuubi's second Jinchuuriki and the Shinigami's champion.

He also saw what appeared to be some developing threads that were representative of the friendships Naruto was building with the people around him: Iruka, Kakashi, Jiraiya, Gaara, Ino and Shikamaru's threads stood out the most.

Minato marveled over the beauty of the chakra core. He never thought it would look quite like this.

He was about to do what he came to do when he noticed two blackish red threads. One was wrapped around his own thread and Minato felt a chill as he recognized Madara's own chakra coursing through it. He never realized that the Uchiha patriarch had forced a bond on him when he'd fed off his chakra all those years ago.

As the bond was already well-established, Minato couldn't do anything about it but he could do something about the second thread… Sasuke's thread.

Minato felt anger course through him. He'd never let the Uchiha establish a connection with his son.

He sealed the thread off so that it wouldn't be able to reach Naruto's core.

Now feeling more secure about Naruto's safety, Minato went to his own thread.

Concentrating, he pushed his thread so that it wasn't just wrapped around the core… he made it so that, slowly, it would fuse with the core.

'That should do it,' Minato thought with satisfaction as he left the seal.

"What did you do?" Naruto wondered. "I feel different."

"I just tweaked a few things here or there in our chakra," Minato explained. "Shall we try again?"

Naruto nodded and they started tree climbing again.

This time, the Genin was pleasantly surprised to see that synchronizing their chakra was much easier.

"Whatever you did, Tou-san, it's worked like a charm!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly, eyes bright with triumph.

"I knew it would," Minato smiled.

* * *

Fate snarled viciously as she observed the Namikaze duo. The accursed Yondaime had surprised her again.

"He wasn't supposed to fuse their cores. It's just not done!" she screamed in rage. "No two shinobi are meant to merge their chakra!"

"Well, those two have always been unconventional," the Shinigami drawled, not concerned at all over Minato's actions. He trusted that his chosen warrior knew what he was doing. He especially loved how they kept thwarting Fate's plans without even knowing it. It was very amusing.

Fate glared at him. "Don't you dare laugh at my expense, bastard! Just you wait and see… things can still go my way. I'll make sure of it!" she shrieked.

The Shinigami turned cold. "This isn't a game, Fate. The world is hanging in the balance. Don't make things worse. Let things run their course."

"Of course you would say that. You're winning!" Fate exclaimed rashly.

"If you do anything to endanger Naruto's chances of saving the world, I will end you," the Shinigami promised. "Goddess or not."

Fate wouldn't admit it openly but she actually felt fear at those words.

* * *

"Training went well today," Naruto vocalized happily as he headed towards his home.

"I have to agree," Minato commented. They had succeeded in synchronization of their chakra and their physical synchronization was coming along well. The mental synchronization would still take more time but that, too, didn't seem out of reach.

They felt it was tied to the two of them sharing the same feelings and focusing on the same goal, Minato had decided to nip that in the bud by starting Naruto up on a jutsu that had been the precursor to his Hiraishin… shunpo.

Minato wanted Naruto to understand every aspect of his infamous creation before he deemed his son ready to use it… the speed, the Fuuinjutsu, the applications, and the risks.

He would edge Naruto into the jutsu in such a way that when the boy learned it at long last, he would be able to bring the Hiraishin to entirely new lengths. Minato had faith that he would fulfill his every expectation.

After all, Naruto was to inherit everything that the Yondaime had to offer… his legacy. No other would be granted what gave Minato the title of being the most powerful shinobi to have ever graced the Shinobi Continent.

At that moment, Naruto arrived at his apartment and they both recognized a foreign chakra source within their home.

Grabbing a kunai, Naruto entered his apartment to investigate, only to get pinned by a bunch of vines, giving away the culprit.

Minato attempted to free Naruto but his son was quick to protest.

'_You'll give yourself away,_' he told his father mentally. '_He's the last one who can find out!_'

'If you think I'm just going to stand back and leave you at his mercy, you've got another thing coming,' Minato growled. He would expose himself readily in order to protect his son.

Naruto knew that… which is why he did what he did. '_I'm sorry, Tou-san…_' he apologized.

Minato looked confused before quickly becoming horrified when he realized Naruto's intentions.

'Don't…' he began to protest before he vanished as his son locked him away in the seal. The younger blonde felt a potent flash of regret. He told himself he wouldn't do that again… not since the last time. He'd been separated from his father too long to be able to bear another separation so soon… but he had to protect him. Regardless of Daichi's odd fixation on him, the boy would kill him in a second if he learned his despised enemy was sealed within him just for the sake of being rid of the Yellow Flash. Naruto couldn't let that happen.

"I didn't know you were into Fuuinjutsu, Naruto. That was some excellent work you put into your traps," Daichi complimented him.

"Thanks. I suppose I should say welcome to my humble abode but I can see you've already made yourself comfortable," Naruto quipped. "Didn't they ever teach you any manners back in Iwa?"

"They did but I just don't feel like offering you that particular courtesy," Daichi stated simply as he smirked from where he sat on Naruto's couch. "You amuse me, Naruto… your sense of humor makes you quite likeable… too bad your blood dirties your appeal."

"I don't care if I'm in any way appealing to you at all," Naruto answered.

"Of course not," Daichi smirked derisively, eyes dark. "You only care about flirting with that lame ass loser, Shikamaru."

"Shikamaru isn't a loser," Naruto was quick to defend his object of affections.

"Your pathetic feelings blind you to the truth, Naruto… do you honestly think he has what it takes to handle you? He has no ambition or desire to do more than the bare minimum! It took that fat friend of his to even get him to put the effort into asking you out on a date! What makes you think he'll stay by you when he learns more about you? Your heritage alone marks your life as chaotic. Never mind the fact that you're a Jinchuuriki," Daichi stated coldly.

Naruto had been about to argue against the Iwa nin's claims about Shikamaru when he froze over the last statement.

"…You know?" he asked in shock.

"It wasn't that hard to figure out," Daichi said. "Even those of us in Iwa know that the Yondaime Hokage died sealing the Kyuubi into a child. Meeting you and seeing how you were treated in your own village was enough for me to figure it out. Who would that bastard seal a Bijuu into other than his own son? What I don't understand is how you can still be so loyal to him knowing that? He sacrificed you to create a weapon for Konoha!" Daichi exclaimed hotly.

"He didn't seal Kyuubi into me to create a weapon. He did it to protect Konoha. I would have done the very same thing in his place," Naruto said evenly.

Daichi scoffed. "Believe what you want," he stated. "You'll learn how much of a bastard your father is with time. He wasn't the one I wanted to talk about anyways."

"Then what did you want?" Naruto scowled.

"To give you an ultimatum," Daichi replied, eyes turning into ice. "Break things off with Shikamaru or not only will I spill all of your secrets but I will _kill_ Shikamaru."

Naruto's eyes widened and he couldn't help but gape in shock. "Why?"

"The sight of the two of you together offends my eyes," Daichi responded. "It irritates me. I aim to see it ended. If you don't want me to end it for you, you'll do as I say. Do it tonight… when you go for your date."

"…And if I refuse?" Naruto tried to remain defiant. Daichi gave him a chilling look.

"Then instead of enjoying your nice sweet date, you'll spend it crying over his mangled corpse," the Iwa nin vowed.

"I won't let you!" Naruto exclaimed. "I'll stop you!"

"Go ahead and try, but keep in mind, both Michiru and Osamu are watching over your precious lover as we speak. All I have to do is give them the signal… and he's dead," Daichi said, gesturing to the communications device he had on his neck. "You can protect him, Naruto, but for how long? We'll get our hands on him eventually and then his death will be all on you."

Naruto gritted his teeth. He'd never felt such a strong hate for anyone before… he wanted to beat Daichi's ass right then and there, but he couldn't risk Shikamaru's life. He wouldn't have the Nara's blood on his hands…

He slumped forward in defeat and the look of heartbreak on his face was so strong that Daichi was forced to look away as it made something inside him twist unpleasantly.

"Bastard…" Naruto finally muttered, forced to concede.

"Be happy I'm even letting you have that date in the first place. I'm not _that_ cruel as to not give you one last experience together," Daichi declared, acting as if he was doing Naruto a big favor. "Don't try to procrastinate on this, Naruto. I'll be watching."

With that, he released Naruto and walked out of the apartment, leaving a distressed Jinchuuriki behind.

* * *

"Did you do as I said?" Jin asked Daichi as the student approached him.

"I gave him the ultimatum," Daichi confirmed simply.

"Good boy," Jin grinned. "Bit by bit, I will take away everything the Namikaze loves… soon, he'll beg us to kill him so that he can escape the pain like the coward he is. We'll fulfill his request, of course. We're very generous, after all."

Daichi tuned out his Sensei's mad ramblings, trying to push aside the out-of-place guilt that was coursing through him as he recalled Naruto's heart breaking.

* * *

"Please tell me what's wrong, Naruto," Minato pleaded. When he'd been released, he easily noticed that something was bothering Naruto. Unfortunately, Naruto wouldn't share with him what had happened nor did he allow Minato access to the memories of it.

The Yondaime was really worried. Naruto never hid anything from him before.

"Nothing's wrong, Tou-san… Daichi was just being a bastard," Naruto replied. "That's nothing new."

"He never upset you like this before," his father pressed.

"He just hit a few sore points. It's nothing you need to be concerned about," Naruto evaded the truth once more.

"If you would only tell me what you said, I could decide whether or not I should be concerned myself," Minato argued.

"Drop it, Tou-san, I'm not going to tell you," Naruto snapped, causing the former Hokage to recoil.

"I'll leave you alone," the elder blonde remarked, realizing Naruto was in no mood to share what happened. All he could do was give him some space.

* * *

"Shikamaru…" the lazy genius broke from his meditative state when he saw Naruto approaching where he sat on the top of the Yondaime's statue. A brilliant smile crossed his face.

"You're finally here," the brunette mused. "I was beginning to worry that you were turning into that Sensei of yours."

Naruto seemed vaguely amused over the joke as he sat down. "It will take a lot to turn me into _that_," he replied. "No one is quite like Kakashi-sensei."

"That's true," the lazy Genin agreed. "From what I hear, he's pursuing Iruka-sensei and the only one who doesn't know it is Iruka-sensei. Asuma-sensei was rather amused about it."

"I think they would be good together. Kakashi-sensei needs someone to ground him and Iruka-sensei needs someone to bring excitement into his normal routine," Naruto mused.

"When you put it like that, they seem to be made for each other," Shikamaru grinned. "But enough about them. Tonight is supposed to be all about us."

"About that…" Naruto began, looking pained as he balled his hands into fists._e_ "We need to talk…"

Feeling dread settle into his stomach, Shikamaru gave the blonde a concerned look. "What is it, Naruto?" he inquired.

"We… can't do this anymore…" the Namikaze heir stated after a few moments of silence. He didn't look at Shikamaru as he spoke.

"Can't do what?" Shikamaru wondered, hoping Naruto wasn't talking about what he thought he was talking about.

"We can't be together anymore," Naruto confirmed the Nara's fears.

Shikamaru frowned. "What did I do wrong, Naruto?"

"You didn't do anything wrong… you've been perfect," Naruto was quick to reassure the boy, still not looking at him.

"Then why?" the confused brunette asked.

Naruto looked conflicted, not knowing how to answer. "I'm just not ready for a relationship. I got swept away by the initial attraction but the honeymoon period is over and I'm seeing clearly now. This won't work… we're too different," he lied.

Trying to ignore the sting of those words, Shikamaru placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. "We can make it work… so what if we're different? We were just talking about Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei, weren't we? They're as different as night and day! If they can make it work, why can't we?" he reasoned.

"You have no idea _how_ different we are," Naruto stated dully. "You're better off without me."

"I don't want to be without you!" Shikamaru retorted vehemently.

"Too bad… because I want to be without you," the blonde said coldly, causing Shikamaru to recoil. "We're over." He began to leave.

Not accepting Naruto's reasoning, Shikamaru grabbed him and forced the blonde to face him. "Look me in the eye and tell me you don't want to be with me," he ordered. Not once had the other boy looked at him throughout that entire spiel.

Naruto gazed into Shikamaru's eyes, his own dull and lifeless. "I don't want you, Shikamaru. The sooner you accept it, the sooner you can move on," he declared resolutely before ripping himself out of Shikamaru's grasp and walking away, not looking to see the heartbroken look on the genius' face.

'_I'm sorry, Shikamaru… but you're better off alive than with me,_' he thought as he felt his heart shatter.

* * *

A/N: I know a lot of you are going to be outraged, given the ending, but I assure you, it will only be temporary. I hated having to do it but Fate seems to be really wanting to throw some curveballs in Naruto's direction. It'll get better, I promise! I nearly cried when I was writing it. Stupid Daichi… why are you so unpredictable? (I swear, even I don't know what goes on in his head. He's evolved a lot farther than I'd ever imagined).


	32. Investigations

I'm back with another chapter. I hope you like it. I'm finally done with my first semester of med school and I think I'm finally getting into the swing of things. I had to sacrifice writing for a few weeks but the results were worth it. I'm going to be off in India for a good while during the winter break but I'll try to get some writing in to make up for all of my long absences. I won't be giving up this story for a long while.

I'm kind of surprised at the number of death threats Daichi received in all of the reviews. I thought for sure that they would be directed towards me. Ah well, he deserves it, for now. No worries, things will be remedied.

**DragonFire Princess**: You don't need to worry. It may be a little more difficult for me to update as much as I would like but I'm going to sticking to this story no matter what. I have too much fun with it to just let it go.

**LovePsycho**: You can have Daichi, if you like. I'm half tempted to see what everybody would like to see happen to him during the Chuunin Exam finals. It would be amusing, ne?

**Disclaimer**: I'm tired of this drill… I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 31: Investigations

"What did you do?" the Shinigami confronted Fate as they observed the break-up scene.

"I evened the score," the goddess answered, a cruel smile on her face. "If you want father and son to be together, fine, but he can't have his lover at the same time."

"That's bullshit, and you know that. His father is his strength and the Nara is his love. He needs _both_!" the Shinigami argued.

"Tough luck… he had to choose and he chose strength over love. There's nothing that you can do about it," Fate simply responded.

The Shinigami could only growl in frustration. '_Just you wait, Fate, you'll face the consequences of messing with Destiny,_' he thought.

* * *

"So how did the date go?" Ino asked Naruto brightly the next day, only to frown in confusion when Naruto didn't give her any response. She shot Minato a curious look but he looked as clueless as she did, albeit he appeared more worried than confused.

That, in itself, alerted Ino that something had gone terribly wrong in the time that Naruto had been away from them. The fact that Minato didn't seem to know what was going on was another cause for concern. Naruto told the Yondaime Hokage _everything_.

"What happened, Naruto?" she asked with a much more sober tone.

"Nothing to concern yourself with," Naruto responded emotionlessly, focusing on studying seals.

"Of course I'm going to be concerned!" Ino argued. "You're not acting like yourself. Something is bothering you!"

"I can deal with it myself. You don't need to get involved," Naruto responded simply, silently pleading with Ino to drop the subject. It almost felt like she was rubbing salt in a fresh wound by bringing extra attention to the source of his pain.

He had tried to act like nothing was wrong but he couldn't manage it, not this time. His ability to put his happy façade on had been worn out during the time of his father's absence during the first part of the Chuunin Exams.

Now, he just wanted to handle the situation the only way he knew how: by himself.

Seeing that he wasn't going to tell her anything and that she couldn't approach Minato with Naruto in this state, Ino quickly retreated, deciding to find her information from another source: Kyuubi.

'_What happened?_' she asked the Bijuu mentally.

'**I'm not too sure, Naruto blocked both of us out for a bit, but I know it has something to do with Daichi's visit last night… why else would Naruto break up with Shikamaru?**' Kyuubi responded.

Ino's eyes widened. That had been the last thing she had expected to happen. '_They broke up? But why? Naruto really cares for Shikamaru… there's no way he would just break things off for no reason,_' the blonde female frowned.

'**That's exactly what I think. Minato has been trying to get an answer from Naruto this entire time but the boy definitely inherited his mother's stubborn nature. He won't say anything. Daichi has to have said or done something to lead up to this. I have never felt such conflicted emotions coursing through Naruto before. He's never pushed us away either. Not like this, anyways,**' Kyuubi remarked, not sounding pleased.

'_Maybe he believes this is something he needs to deal with himself,_' Ino mused.

'**He shouldn't have to,**' the fox demon answered, worried for her kit.

"What happened? You two were doing so well yesterday! Now you're doing worse than you were in the beginning!" Jiraiya had been forced to stop teaching Gaara Taijutsu when noticed Naruto and Minato's constant failures when it came to synchronization.

Both blondes merely averted their eyes in opposite directions. Jiraiya frowned.

"Are you two fighting again? You know that is what led to your problems in the beginning of the Chuunin Exams, right?" the Sannin commented.

"We're not fighting," Minato was quick to say as Naruto didn't seem inclined to answer.

"Then what's the problem? You're completely out of synch!" Jiraiya exclaimed.

"I wish there was something I could tell you, Sensei," Minato answered. He couldn't explain anything because he didn't understand what was going on either.

Jiraiya sighed in frustration. Something told him that he wouldn't get anywhere by pushing the situation.

He knelt before Naruto, placing a hand on his head. "I don't know what's eating you, kid, and I can't force you to tell me – not in good conscience, anyways – but I just want you to know… I'm here if you need me."

Naruto again didn't say anything but the grateful look on his face was all that Jiraiya needed.

He ruffled the boy's hair. "Take a break for the day. Sort things out with your father. It doesn't look like you're in the right state for training today. Your heart isn't in it," he instructed.

Naruto looked like he wanted to protest but he realized the truth in Jiraiya's words. He had no other choice but to agree.

When Naruto left, Jiraiya turned to Ino and Gaara. "There's been a change in our plans. I have a mission for the two of you. I want you to discover what happened last night to put Naruto in this state. Report back to me afterward so that we can try to remedy the situation," he ordered.

"Hai!" the two Genin acquiesced, eager to discover the truth and help their friend be happy again.

Once they left, Jiraiya made his own decision. It was time to meet Shikamaru.

* * *

Asuma and Chouji watched Shikamaru train in concern. The lazy genius wasn't acting much like himself at all.

Chouji had tried to get Shikamaru to talk to them but had failed. Shikamaru remained stubbornly silent.

"He's acting like his heart was ripped out of his chest," Asuma commented, recognizing the heartbroken look on Shikamaru's face.

"Do you think things went badly last night?" Chouji pondered.

"What else could have happened?" Asuma rationalized. "Although I don't understand how it could have gone bad. those two are so enamored with each other, they could have done the most boring thing in the world during their date and still be happy. What could have gone wrong?"

"That's what I intend to find out," a voice stated from behind them and the two onlookers saw Jiraiya approaching them.

Asuma cursed Jiraiya's timing. This was the worst time for Jiraiya to come for his interrogation.

"Can't you do this another time, Jiraiya-sama? This isn't a good time," Asuma tried to delay the inevitable.

"I'm afraid not, Asuma… this happens now," the white-haired shinobi declared resolutely. Asuma sighed. He'd tried…

"There's no point to holding this conversation," Shikamaru's voice broke through the silence, turning all attention on him.

"What do you mean by that, boy?" Jiraiya frowned, eyes narrowing.

"You don't need to test me anymore… Naruto broke up with me. There's no reason for this anymore…" Shikamaru said gruffly, shocking the lot of them.

"But that doesn't make any sense. Naruto showed no indication of wanting to break things off with you. He was happy!" Jiraiya tried to understand the situation.

"Well something clearly changed," Shikamaru snorted. "He says we're too different and that he doesn't want to be with me."

"And you believed him?" Chouji declared. "Naruto wears his heart on his sleeve. He really cared for you. He was happy to be with you."

"The honeymoon phase is over," Shikamaru replied simply. "Things change."

"So you're giving up, just like that?" Jiraiya asked, sounding displeased. "I thought the one Naruto chose for himself would be better than that."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Shikamaru snapped before stalking off. As he did so, nobody saw the calculating look in his eyes as he started trying to reason out the previous night's occurrence on his own. He would figure out what had coerced Naruto to make such a decision. He wouldn't accept things the way they were now.

Chouji could see that his friend was only lashing out due to his hurt. When that dimmed, he would seek out the answers behind Naruto's sudden decision with a vengeance. He told the Sannin as much.

"We'll have to see about that," Jiraiya said. "For now, it's time to seek the truth about what happened."

* * *

"Are you going to talk to me?" Minato asked Naruto from where they were perched in front of the Shinobi Academy. Naruto was sitting on the swing he used to play on and Minato was pushing him in an absent minded manner.

When Naruto didn't respond, Minato tried another tactic.

"Do you remember how things were, back when you first entered the Academy? You loved this swing. You would come here every day without fail. It was here that you made your first friends."

Naruto's eyes sparked with life as the memory came back to him.

(Flashback****)

_Six-year old Naruto sat on the swing, observing all of the children playing together with envy. He wanted to play with them too…_

_ "Then why don't you?" Minato asked as he materialized behind the boy, starting to push him gently as had become their routine._

_ "You've seen what happens. Their parents got mad at them and no one talks to me anymore," Naruto pouted, not noticing the sad look on his companion's face._

_ "I'm sorry," the spirit apologized._

_ "Don't be, it's not your fault," Naruto answered, causing Minato to flinch with guilt._

_ "Still… I'm sorry. No child should be alone," Minato stated._

_ "But I'm not alone… I have you, Ten-chan," Naruto said brightly._

_ "Who's Ten-chan?" a voice rang out. Naruto and Minato looked to see two boys, easily recognizable as a Nara and an Akimichi, standing in front of the swing, staring at the blonde._

_ "A friend," Naruto answered, not able to say 'nobody.' He felt that would be an insult to his angel._

_ "But nobody's here," the chubby boy frowned, scanning the area for the person Naruto was talking to. The young Jinchuuriki felt his cheeks warm in embarrassment._

_ "It's okay to have an imaginary friend if you're lonely," the Nara stated. "But you don't need to be lonely anymore."_

_ "What do you mean?" Naruto frowned in confusion, wondering what the other kid was talking about._

_ "You don't need to be alone anymore. We'll be your friends," the spiky ponytail-wearing pre-Genin told Naruto, gesturing to himself and Chouji._

_ "Won't your parents not like that?" Naruto wondered. Any kid who used to show interest in him avoided him now after being scolded by their parents._

_ The two boys looked at each other and then back at their watchful fathers._

_ "Why do you think they wouldn't let us play with you?" the Akimichi inquired._

_ "All of the other parents take their kids away when they see their kids with me," Naruto answered in a surly manner._

_ "Our parents don't seem to mind so much," the Nara drawled. "In fact, they insisted we come meet you."_

_ "Does that mean you're here only because you were told to?" Naruto asked, sounding a little hurt._

_ The brunette in front of him only sighed in annoyance. "Troublesome blonde. I wouldn't be here if that was the case. I don't do anything just because I was told to. I do it because I want to. It's too troublesome, otherwise. Chouji is the same way."_

_ '_He's just like his father,_' Minato mused, glancing over at Shikaku. He felt grateful that his old friend had complied with his wishes for Naruto to be seen as a hero and not as Kyuubi._

_ "So you really want to be friends?" Naruto realized, finally letting himself feel hopeful._

_ "Didn't I already say so? Of course I want to be friends!" the exasperated Nara replied and Chouji nodded sweetly._

_ Beaming, Naruto tackled the two down with a delighted laugh, earning a groan from Shikamaru and an amused snicker from Chouji._

_ When Naruto got off them, he gave them a brilliant smile. "Thank you," he said._

_ "You're welcome," Chouji answered while Shikamaru merely flushed in the background silently, wondering why the blonde's smile made his stomach squirm in interesting ways._

_ It was around then that Naruto remembered Minato. Feeling guilty for having so quickly forgotten his first friend, he glanced over at him for approval._

_ Smiling encouragingly, Minato simply nodded. "Have fun," he smiled and Naruto nodded happily._

_ "What did Ten-chan say?" Shikamaru asked, humoring what he thought was a conversation with a figment of Naruto's imagination. Nevertheless, Naruto appreciated the gesture._

_ "He said 'have fun'," he said happily and they went off to play._

(End Flashback****)

Naruto's eyes had turned misty at remembering how he had come to be friends with Shikamaru and Chouji. It was fond memory… but at the moment, it only hurt him.

Minato floundered as he saw Naruto's grief threaten to overcome him again.

He wrapped his arms around his son. "Please tell me what happened, Naruto," he pleaded. He hated to see the boy like this. "Why did you break up with Shikamaru?"

"I thought you would be happy. You didn't want us to be together in the first place," Naruto remarked.

"I was just being overprotective… you've always been mine, you know? I didn't think I would have to share you so soon," Minato declared. "I have nothing against Shikamaru. I just didn't want to let you go… I was selfish and I'm sorry."

"Don't be… you're not the one who made me break up with him," Naruto sniffed and Minato's gaze sharpened.

"You were forced to break things off…" Minato's suspicions were conformed. "What is Daichi holding against you?"

"The revelation of my heritage and Jinchuuriki status in addition to killing Shikamaru," Naruto admitted. "I can't let that happen."

"Oh, Naruto… you know we won't let that happen," Minato stated in sympathy. "We could stop Daichi easily. You didn't need to comply with his desires."

"I know that," Naruto admitted. "But he opened my eyes. As long as Shikamaru is with me, our enemies will use him to get to me. I can't put him danger, knowing that."

"Don't you think Shikamaru has a right to make that choice for himself?" Minato rationalized.

"It's too late, now," Naruto responded.

"It's never too late," Minato answered. "Not if he cares for you as much as I believe he does."

An unseen wave of chakra pulsed between them as father and son bonded together more deeply on an emotional and mental level, bringing their chances of synchronization up to a much more favorable level.

* * *

"What do you want?" Daichi asked Ino and Gaara, when they approached him.

"What did you do to Naruto?" Ino demanded right off the bat, glaring at him viciously.

"Who said I did anything?" Daichi drawled with a shrug.

"Don't play innocent with us, you bastard. I know you went to see him last night!" Ino exclaimed.

"How do you know that?" the Iwa nin countered. "Surely Naruto didn't tell you anything."

"He didn't," Ino admitted. "But who other than you could hate Naruto so much as to make him do something that would make him so utterly miserable!" It was a weak argument but Ino couldn't really share her own connection to Kyuubi, who was her source.

Daichi snorted. "There are many people out there that seek to make Naruto miserable for simply being _born_," he declared with conviction.

"That may be true," Gaara agreed gravely, sharing the same fate as Naruto as both a Jinchuuriki and a Kage's son. "Nevertheless, you're the one threat that is here now. You are the most logical choice. You've made it no secret that you wish to destroy Naruto in any way that you can."

Daichi rolled his eyes. "I don't honestly see why you two care so much. At the beginning of the Chuunin Exams, neither of you cared that much about the blonde in the first place. You became his best friends overnight. What's so special about him that you bound yourselves to him so completely?"

"Something tells me you've already seen it," Gaara answered. "Your blind hatred merely keeps you from succumbing to it."

"It's not blind!" Daichi defended his reasons for disliking Naruto.

"Naruto hasn't done anything to warrant your anger," Ino commented. "He can't help who he was born to."

Daichi didn't grace that with a response.

"You could have chosen several ways to enact your 'revenge' on Naruto, more honorable ways. Going after his heart is cowardly," Gaara announced.

Daichi glared. "I don't just want to kill Naruto… I want to _break_ him. I'll do anything to do that, even force him to break up with that pathetic boyfriend of his," he said coldly.

"…What?" the two heard someone say and they looked to see a shocked Shikamaru standing there.

Anger quickly filled the Nara's eyes. "I should have known that you were the reason Naruto broke things off," he scowled. A part of him had always known but the sting of Naruto's cold words had affected him more than he thought it would.

"So what if I was?" Daichi sneered. "Will you kick my ass?"

"I'll do more than that," Shikamaru promised, fire burning in his eyes.

Daichi smirked. "I'll look forward to our fight," he stated before walking off.

Shikamaru turned and started to leave as well.

"Where are you going?" Ino called out to her teammate.

"I'm going to train," Shikamaru answered. "I'll prove to Naruto that we can be together. Regardless of what obstacle comes our way."

Ino smiled. She was glad that Shikamaru was going to fight against Daichi's interference. "Good luck," she called out.

"Thanks," he responded as he planned to seek out his father. He had an entirely new reason to fight and he aimed to win.

* * *

Jiraiya glanced up as he saw Ino and Gaara approach him at the Training Grounds. "So what did you find out?" he asked them calmly.

"Tanaka Daichi, the Iwa nin we talked about before, is responsible for Naruto's current situation. He blackmailed Naruto somehow to get him to break up with Shikamaru, knowing how much it would hurt him to do so," Ino told Jiraiya.

The Sannin sighed tiredly. Would the hatred never end? "I was afraid it would be something like that," he murmured. "Whatever that boy told Naruto, it has got to have been something major if Naruto gave in."

"What should we do?" Gaara wondered.

"Be there for Naruto. This is a challenge he'll have to overcome one way or another. Show him that he doesn't need to do that alone. You're his teammates, aren't you?" Jiraiya commented.

Ino and Gaara nodded. They would help Naruto in any way they could. They stared curiously as their sensei started to walk away.

"Where are you going?" Ino inquired.

"There is somebody I need to talk to," Jiraiya told them. "You're free for the rest of the day. How about you go hang out with your other friends?"

"I don't have any…" Gaara whispered sadly before blinking in surprise as Ino took his hand.

"What are you talking about, Gaara? You have your siblings, Naruto, Namikaze-sama, Jiraiya-sensei and I," Ino pointed out. "Now come on… I'll introduce you to my friends!"

Gaara could do nothing more than let Ino drag him off.

* * *

Jin smirked as he bid Iruka farewell. Their 'friendship' was progressing quite nicely. With Kakashi busy training Sasuke and Naruto caught up with his own problems, Iruka was left nice and vulnerable to the Iwa nin's plans.

He was about to walk away when he came face to face with a stormy looking Sannin.

"Ah, what a pleasant surprise. What could a lowly Jounin like I do for a Sannin?" Jin drawled, giving Jiraiya a mocking bow.

"Don't test me, Kyougyoku. I'm in no mood for your nonsense," Jiraiya scowled.

"Such hostility… what have I ever done to you?" Jin feigned innocence.

Eyes darkening as his minimal patience began to wear thin, Jiraiya grabbed Jin by the collar and lifted him up. "You will stop trying to mess with my godson, or so help me, I'll make you," Jiraiya growled.

"I haven't done anything to your godson," Jin stated. "I've kept clear of him, I can promise you that."

"That doesn't mean that you haven't been responsible for the torment he's been going through at the hands of your student. Don't think for a second that I don't know the truth about Tanaka Daichi and what happened to his father…" Jiraiya stated.

"It seems like you've done your research," Jin drawled, a malevolent gleam appearing in his eyes. "But that still doesn't prove anything about me and the cursed Namikaze child. I have had nothing to do with him, I can assure you that. You have no proof and you won't find Daichi to be so forthcoming if you choose to interrogate him about any of his actions."

"…We'll see about that," Jiraiya retorted, releasing Jin. "If you try anything more against my family, I _will_ kill you."

Jin just smirked and walked away, knowing that without the right proof, Jiraiya couldn't do anything to him.


	33. Time Goes On

I'm back with another chapter. It didn't really like coming out much, though. I'd been stuck on this one for a good long while unlike normal. Most times what I have in mind usually pours out on paper just fine. I hope it's satisfactory. Only one more chapter after this before the Finals (I think).

**FanGirl2010**: I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

**xxXMariSawadaXxx**: Wow, you mused a lot over the story. You've brought up things I never even considered. You made a good point about Kyuubi and her training Naruto, it shouldn't just be Minato, right? I'll think about that a little. Glad you're enjoying the story.

**Aiko Yamazaki**: Yeah, the vines are a Kekkei Genkai. Did I forget to mention that in the story?

**Czxw**: Using the wind to fly? That's a rather fun image.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 32: Time Goes On

Three and a half weeks had passed since Naruto and Shikamaru broke up and everyone was now heavily focused on preparing for the Chuunin Exam finals, which were only a few days away.

They worked hard as they all had something to prove.

Naruto was out to show Neji what Hinata hadn't managed to get across: you can change your fate no matter what cards had been dealt to you.

Sakura wished to prove her worth as a true kunoichi.

Sasuke was determined to assert his power as an Uchiha and prove, once and for all, that he was stronger than Naruto.

Gaara was intent on learning to be a more holistic shinobi so that he wouldn't be entirely dependent on his sand and Shuukaku. Not to mention, he intended to curb the threat of the Uchiha before it got any bigger.

Temari and Kankurou had originally planned to focus more on the upcoming invasion rather than the Finals but Gaara had made it clear that they would play no part in the invasion, other than trying to avert it as subtly as possible. Now, they planned to conserve their energy and train not for the exam but to prepare to fight against the invaders instead.

Neji aimed to put Naruto in his place and spit in the face of the Main Branch while doing so, not realizing he was being favored by the goddess of Fate herself.

Chouji didn't have that much confidence in himself but he wanted to make his family proud in addition to his sensei and friends. He would prove to them that he was a worthy heir to the Akimichi clan.

Shikamaru wouldn't rest until he defeated Daichi and won his lover back from his own fears. He would show how strong he really was.

Daichi, on the other hand, trained to destroy everything Naruto held dear starting with the annoying kage-nin that the Namikaze held strong affections for.

Michiru had a simple cause: support Daichi and show everyone how strong Iwa nin really were.

Lastly was Shino, who didn't care for much other than to fight his best and show that he deserved to be a Chuunin.

They all had their own reasons and they all aimed to win... No matter how difficult it may be.

* * *

"Do it again," Kurenai instructed the exhausted Sakura, who was practicing her Genjutsu.

"Hai," Sakura conceded. "_Magen: Jubaku Satsu!_"

Kurenai observed the Genjutsu unfold with a critical eye. Nodding in satisfaction, she dispelled it. "You've come a long way," she complimented the pink-haired girl.

"Thank you, Kurenai-sensei," Sakura smiled, proud of her achievements. It had been difficult but Sakura had enjoyed her time under Kurenai's tutelage. She felt like she was finally making her way to becoming a worthwhile kunoichi... one that would make her team proud.

"You still have a way to go to be on par with the other Rookies but you're on the right track," the dark-haired Jounin commented. "You're an intelligent girl, Sakura, with more experience and a built up stamina, I can see you becoming a strong kunoichi. Don't disappoint me."

"I won't," Sakura promised, beaming under the praise. She wouldn't let anyone down. Not anymore.

* * *

"The month's almost over, Kakashi! You've barely taught me anything!" Sasuke exclaimed irately.

Kakashi fixed Sasuke with a stern look.

"Have you gotten faster?" the silver-haired Jounin drawled.

"Yes, but..." the Uchiha began but was interrupted.

"Have you gotten stronger?" the teacher continued.

"Yes," Sasuke remarked sulkily.

"Have I not dedicated every second of my precious time ensuring that you improved on every front as a shinobi?" Kakashi pressed.

"...Yes," the duck-butt-haired teen admitted reluctantly.

"Then why are you complaining?" the Copy Nin commented.

"You haven't taught me anything new! How am I supposed to defeat Itachi like this? At this rate, I'll never catch up to him and it will be your fault!" Sasuke snapped harshly. "Teach me your Chidori."

He was instantly met with a good deal of Killing Intent. It was not as fearsome as Orochimaru's but it was still enough to send Sasuke to his knees gasping for breath.

"Listen here, brat. You are one of my subordinates, not the other way around. You don't have right to demand anything of me, much less my personal jutsu. The Chidori is an A-class assassination technique... something that will never be taught to a mere Genin, especially one as unstable as you. Training with me is a privilege, not a right. You will do best to remember that," Kakashi stated coldly. "I've helped you master every jutsu that you already have and that's have and that's more than most Genin have anyways. Don't get greedy."

With that, he pulled his Killing Intent back in, allowing Sasuke to take in large gulps of air.

Sasuke glared at Kakashi. "I'm an Uchiha, of course your training is my right," he declared and Kakashi sighed at the boy's shamelessness. He would never learn.

"That means nothing" the Uchiha clan is no more. There's only you and a traitor left... You are no reflection of the once great clan. You're just a pathetic child trying to fill the shoes that are too big for you. Don't think you can sway me in any way," Kakashi stated icily.

Sasuke let out a loud cry of rage, lunging for his callous teacher with murderous intent. Kakashi downed him with a casual flick of his wrist.

"Grow up, Sasuke-_chan_. You won't get everything handed to you on a silver platter. You're not a child anymore. If you want something, fight for it. Don't take the easy route by taking what isn't yours to have. If you want me to teach you something new, earn it," the Yondaime's former student declared with conviction. He really hoped Sasuke would take his advice. If Sasuke was to abandon his strong Uchiha beliefs and strive to improve himself using his merits alone, he may actually have a chance for redemption.

Realizing fighting Kakashi was futile, Sasuke was forced to abandon his anger.

"What could you have me do?" Sasuke asked his sensei.

"Fight in the Finals with the skills you have and prove that you're worthy of being a Chuunin that way. If you succeed, I might consider teaching you a jutsu that would help you defeat Itachi," the masked nin stated. He was taking a risk but if he could do anything to get Sasuke off his dark path, he would do it.

Sasuke smirked. "Deal," he agreed.

* * *

Shikamaru panted with exertion, standing in the center of a training ground that looked completely torn up.

He'd been working like a man possessed since the stakes of his match with Daichi had gone up. He couldn't afford to lose...

"You should come home, Shikamaru. You've trained enough," his father declared, hiding his parental concern under a mask of nonchalance.

"Not yet," Shikamaru responded. "I can still do more."

"If you do anymore, you will be hospitalized for chakra exhaustion," Shikaku retorted. "Let's see you participate in the Chuunin Exams then. I know how determined you are, Shikamaru, but don't be stupid. You know your limits. Don't exceed them so recklessly, especially when there's so much at stake."

The older Nara sighed as he saw the stubborn look on his son's face. He hated having to do this. "Troublesome," he grumbled as he walked over to his son. Before Shikamaru could do anything, the Jounin cast a Sleep jutsu on him. "Sorry, Shikamaru, but your mother would kill me if I let you stay here any longer."

Slinging the Genin onto his back, the scarred Nara began the trek back home.

* * *

"What happened?" Ino exclaimed in panic as she, Gaara and Jiraiya rushed over to Naruto's unconscious form. "The synchronization worked, I know it did! What could have gone wrong?"

"I don't know," Jiraiya hated to admit. The complete dynamics of Naruto and Minato's connection was still a mystery to him. "For all I know, they simply got overwhelmed by the process. All that we can do for now is observe them closely to make sure there aren't any complications."

"We can't do anything else?" Gaara frowned. He didn't like the idea of them just sitting back and watching to see if anything went wrong.

"What else can we do? None of us are experts on the bond between the two of them. I'd say we could use the help of a Hyuuga to see what's going on based off of their chakra but I would rather not bring anybody else into the fold, especially without Naruto and Minato's permission. I won't break their trust," Jiraiya declared. "For now, I think it would be best to admit him to the hospital."

Gaara and Ino nodded in agreement. They only hoped that whatever was going on with Naruto would resolve itself before the Finals. There wasn't much time left.

* * *

Iruka laughed in amusement at the joke Jin had just shared with him.

"I wasn't aware that you had such a sense of humor, Kyougyoku-san. You always seem so serious," the Chuunin remarked, wiping tears of mirth from his eyes.

"Well, I'm just chalk full of surprises," Jin answered easily. "You have a nice laugh, Iruka-sensei."

The brunette flushed in embarrassment. "Thank you," he answered, pushing a loose strand of hair behind his ear.

"You should let it loose," Jin told Iruka, who look confused.

"Huh?" the scarred Academy teacher asked, scrunching his nose up as he tried to make sense of what Jin said. The Iwa nin found that kind of adorable.

'_If I don't kill you, I might just keep you,_' the older man thought darkly. "Your hair," Jin elaborated as he reached over and released Iruka's hair from the confines of his hair tie. "It looks good loose."

"A-ah," Iruka stuttered uncertainly. That move had kind of crept him out. While Jin seemed relatively nice, they weren't that familiar with one another to the point that the Chuunin would allow him into his personal space like that. Glancing at his watch, he gave Jin an apologetic look. "It looks like my lunch hour is over. I should be getting back to my class now," he stated, starting to slip away.

"Oh right, I wouldn't want to hold you any longer. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day, Iruka-sensei," the Iwa nin stated.

"You too," Iruka answered before turning away. He missed the malicious look that crossed Jin's face.

'_You can run all you like, Iruka, but you can't escape me. I will get you eventually,_' he thought.

* * *

Shikamaru groaned as he slowly began to wake up.

"It's about time, sleepy head," a familiar voice rang out.

Opening his eyes, Shikamaru saw Ino sitting by his bed.

"What are you doing here, Ino? Shouldn't you be training right now?" the Nara queried, slowly getting into a seated position.

"Jiraiya-sensei is giving us a break. He's a little preoccupied right now," the blonde answered.

"I still can't believe that you managed to bag a Sannin for a sensei. What he sees in you is beyond me," Shikamaru said without any real bite.

"Well, that wasn't very nice," Ino pouted. "I came to see you because I was worried about you. You don't need to get so snarky with me."

"I'm sorry," Shikamaru apologized. "I'm just a little stressed out right now."

"I can see that," Ino declared. "I've never seen you work this hard in your life. You will prove nothing to Naruto if you overwork yourself to the point you won't be able to fight at your best during the Chuunin Exams."

Shikamaru just scowled. "I can't afford to just sit back. If I fail..."

"You won't," Ino stated firmly.

"How can you be so sure?" Shikamaru frowned.

"Because I know you. You are the smartest person I have ever met. If there is anyone who can defeat Daichi, it's you... especially because you're so motivated for once," Ino remarked. "You just have to have a little faith in yourself."

Shikamaru smirked. Ino had changed a lot from the self-absorbed, Sasuke-obsessed girl she used to be just a few weeks ago. "It looks like Naruto has been good for you," he commented, the faintest hint of jealousy in his voice. Ino got to be at Naruto's side with no problem whatsoever while he had to fight for that right. He had seen Naruto's worth long before Ino so how was this fair?

"Naruto has that kind of effect on people," Ino replied, eyes softening with understanding of Shikamaru's feelings. She wished she could explain the difference in the bonds they shared with Naruto but she couldn't, not without talking about what she had seen inside the Jinchuuriki's mind.

"So what really brought you here, Ino?" Shikamaru queried. " Surely you didn't just come to watch me sleep."

"I just thought I should tell you... Naruto's in the hospital," Ino finally got down to business.

Shikamaru's eyes widened in shock. "What happened?" he demanded.

"It's nothing to worry about," Ino stated. "He's just suffering from chakra exhaustion." She didn't mention that was only a working diagnosis. She didn't want to go into explaining how Naruto's entire chakra system was in complete chaos at the moment. She'd even attempted to use her Shitenshin no Jutsu to enter Naruto's mind in order to see what was going on within him. It hadn't worked. She had been repelled the moment she tried. She'd ended up knocked out for a good hour for all of her efforts.

"How long has he been there?" Shikamaru asked.

"Almost a day," Ino admitted.

"Has he woken up yet?" Shikamaru continued his questioning.

"Not to my knowledge," Ino responded. She blinked as she saw Shikamaru start bustling around his room. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to go see him. I don't care if he doesn't want to see me right now," Shikamaru declared.

"He never stopped wanting to see you. It's his own fear paralyzing him," Ino mused.

"Then I will just have to free him for that fear," Shikamaru stated with conviction, causing Ino to smile. She honestly believed Shikamaru would be able to save Naruto from himself.

"Good luck," she stated, watching him leave.

* * *

"Great job, Sakuya!" Kiba cheered the growing fox on as she successfully pulled off a Henge into Naruto.

Sakuya barked happily, dispelling the jutsu and prancing over to her current trainer for a treat.

"You're turning into quite the nin fox," Kiba complimented her, stroking her soft fur. "Naruto picked out a good familiar."

Sakuya purred in pleasure at the mention of her mother. She wanted to see him soon. They hadn't got to spend much time together recently. Naruto had been busy with his father.

Kiba picked up on her longing. "How about we go see him later? I'm sure he will love to see you," he offered. Besides, he still needed to make an official apology to the blonde. He had chickened out so far, attempting to make more subtler efforts to make up for his rudeness, such as being the one who personally trained Sakuya, under his mother's watchful eye, of course.

Sakuya yipped excitedly, tackling Kiba and licking him to show him her gratitude. He laughed in amusement. The fox was rather likable.

Akamaru voiced his jealousy quite loudly, causing Kiba to smirk. He was just too predictable.

"Come on, Akamaru, you know you will always be my favorite," he reassured his own familiar. "Now how about we go find Naruto?"

* * *

Minato slowly opened his eyes, feeling oddly cramped up. Frowning in discomfort, he slowly sat up and stretched out his body. Again, it felt incredibly foreign and it took a moment for Minato to remember he didn't actually have a physical body to feel such sensations in.

Growing alert, Minato gingerly got onto his feet, stumbling as he found his center of gravity to be different than what he was accustomed to. It was like having gone through reverse puberty. His eye level was certainly lower than normal...

'_How strange..._' he thought to himself before he walked to the nearby mirror. He gaped openly as he stared at his reflection.

Naruto stared right back at him.

'_I don't recall taking over Naruto's body,_' Minato mused to himself. Even if he had, he wouldn't have looked like Naruto. He always gained his own form while he did so unless he was taking over only half of the mental control like he'd done while fixing Gaara's seal. He was quite certain that he had full control right now so he k we that wasn't the case now.

'_What do you think is going on, Naruto?_' he asked his son, only to be met with absolute silence. He called out to the boy again but no one replied.

He attempted to call out to Kyuubi but he met a dead end there as well.

Now Minato was worried because for the first time in thirteen years, he was completely alone in his mind.

* * *

A/N: I have also been working on another story. A Kingdom Hearts AU type story and I'm looking for a beta who might help me move it along.

Working Title: Scattered Hearts

Pairings: Riku/Sora, Akuroku, Leon/Cloud, and Terra/Ven, one-sided Sephiroth/Cloud

Summary: Cloud, Sora, Roxas and Ven are mermen living in Atlantica but when they interfering with Ursula's attempts to take over the world using the Heartless, things take a turn for the nasty. Now as they have been scattered across the worlds, they're going to need all of the help they can get to be reunited and win back all that they have lost… including their Keyblades.

I'm really bad at giving summaries… tell me what you think.


	34. Too Many Encounters

Sorry that it took so long to get this chapter out. I always wanted to get to this point in the story but when I finally did, I got stuck over what I wanted to see happen. Go figure, right? Luckily, once I started pushing myself to think, the ideas began to flow and I finally got the chapter done. I hope you like it.

On another note, I've posted up a new story, **Scattered Hearts**, the Kingdom Hearts story I had mentioned last chapter. If any of you are interested in it and happen to read it, please let me know what you think.

**MadaMag**: I had a field day when I learned Kyuubi's real name. Kind of expected it when it was mentioned that all the Bijuu have names of their own.

**Colz**: No, Iruka and Kakashi aren't fighting. Since Kakashi is away training Sasuke, I've had it that the two of them haven't had much interaction, giving Jin ample working space.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Three: Too Many Encounters

Minato paced in frustration around the hospital room. This situation was the last thing he had expected to happen when he and Naruto had attempted full synchronization. He was not meant to completely take over his son's body.

In truth, he hated taking over Naruto's consciousness. He felt as if he was cheating the younger blonde out of the life that was rightfully his. Minato's time had come and gone, no matter how short it had been.

It had always been a consolation to him that he could give the body right back to Naruto when he wished to. This time, however, he couldn't.

He had tried everything he could think of to relinquish control back to his son but he was quick to realize he was only succeeding in knocking himself abruptly. All he was able to discover from his attempts was that Naruto's consciousness was too out of reach. His body had compensated by forcing Minato into the driver's seat.

Testing out his chakra, he found it in complete turmoil, which helped explain why Naruto's body hadn't transformed into his own while he was in control. The transformation required chakra, which Naruto's body wasn't willing to use at the moment.

"What a mess..." he groaned aloud, pinching his nose tiredly. Naruto needed to wake up soon... there were only two days left until the Chuunin Exam Finals and the Yondaime had no intention of stealing his son's glory from him.

Naruto had been looking forward to the chance to prove himself to everyone so that he could finally be seen as more than just the idiot Jinchuuriki of Konoha.

He was even more determined to teach Neji a lesson.

It would be a grave injustice if Minato ended up having to do that in Naruto's place. He would never forgive himself.

"Please, wake up," Minato whispered aloud pleadingly.

"Naruto?" a concerned voice rang out and Minato looked up to see Shikamaru standing in the doorway.

'_Crap, I don't need to deal with visitors right now,_' Minato thought. He was still trying to figure things out.

"Are you okay? Should you really be out of bed yet? Ino said you were suffering from chakra exhaustion," the Nara remarked, approaching Naruto slowly. He felt a small sting of hurt when Naruto backed away from him.

"I'm fine. I recover quickly," Minato responded, not meeting the Nara's eyes. He was afraid if he did, the Nara would be able to tell that he wasn't Naruto.

Shikamaru frowned as he observed the blonde. There was something vaguely off about him. The way he spoke was odd and even his body language seemed different.

Naruto was holding himself in the same way a seasoned warrior would, one who had been through far more battles than the Jinchuuriki had been through. Although, it was quite apparent that Naruto was trying to mask it.

"Look at me," Shikamaru ordered firmly.

"Why should I?" Minato couldn't help the petulance in his tone. Why should he, the Yondaime Hokage, obey the orders of a simple Genin?

"Please, Naruto," Shikamaru softened the request.

Oh, that's right... because at the moment, he _wasn't _the Yondaime. He was stuck pretending to be his son.

He met Shikamaru's eyes reluctantly and that was more than enough for the genius shinobi to confirm his suspicions.

"You're not Naruto," the ponytail-wearing Genin declared.

Minato sighed, dejected. "You're as annoyingly smart as your father," he stated, giving up all attempts to act like Naruto.

"You're that angel, aren't you?" Shikamaru realized.

Minato nodded. Shikamaru found that the stoic look didn't fit right with Naruto's face. He felt the entire situation was surreal. While he had known Naruto had a guardian, he had never imagined that he would get to meet him face to face, even if it was through Naruto.

"Who are you?" Shikamaru inquired curiously.

"I can't tell you," Minato answered, crossing his arms.

"You told Ino," Shikamaru countered.

"I did not," the angel said calmly. "She encountered me by accident when she entered my son's mind. Telling her the truth was the best option. It is not my place to discuss this with you. It's Naruto's."

"Why don't you ask him?" Shikamaru pressed.

"I can't," Minato replied, eyes darkening. "Do you think I would be here, in control of my son's body, if Naruto was conscious and aware of what is going on?"

Shikamaru's eyes widened with worry. "What happened?" he wondered.

"That's what I've been trying to find out," the Yondaime answered.

"Is there anything that I can do to help?" Shikamaru offered.

"I'm afraid not," Minato replied. He started heading for the window.

"Where are you going?" Shikamaru queried.

"I've got some business to take care of," Minato said vaguely. In truth, he was going to see Jiraiya. He thought his sensei should be told what happened. Maybe they could brainstorm a solution to the problem if they combined their thought processes.

'_Something tells me this angel doesn't like me very much,_' the Nara thought. '_I'll just have to prove myself to him too._'

* * *

Jiraiya barely restrained a perverted giggle as he peeped on the women in the baths.

"I should have known you'd be here, Sensei," a familiar voice rang out. Jiraiya whirled around to see Naruto just as the females in the bath realized someone was peeping.

"Shit," Jiraiya swore as he heard the females rush to confront him. Rushing over, he tucked Naruto under his arm and ran away as fast as he could.

Jiraiya glared at Naruto once they were safe. "You need to stop exposing me, gaki," he scowled.

"Your research isn't the most important thing at the moment, Sensei," 'Naruto' stated firmly.

"What's with the sudden respect? You've been calling me Ero-Sennin," Jiraiya frowned in confusion.

"That's Naruto's nickname for you," the blonde stated matter-of-factly.

"... Minato? What are you doing in Naruto's body?" Jiraiya queried quietly.

"That's the thing, I don't know. This is the last side effect I would have ever expected to happen from out experiments with synchronization," Minato said. "Neither Naruto nor Kyuubi are responding to my calls. I can't even withdraw into my mind properly."

"That's troubling..." Jiraiya frowned. "Ino attempted to enter Naruto's mind a few times earlier. She said she was repelled each and every time. She thinks there is something up with your chakra. I'd say we need a Hyuuga's help but you haven't brought in any into the fold, right?"

"No, we haven't," Minato admitted.

"Is there any one you wouldn't mind bringing in?" Jiraiya wondered.

"... Hyuuga Hinata. Naruto has been thinking of telling her soon. She's trustworthy," Minato spoke after thinking for a few minutes.

"I'll take your word for it," Jiraiya answered. "She may be able to see what is really going on with your chakra and do something about it."

"It's definitely worth a try," Minato agreed. "We'll most likely find her in the Hyuuga District right now."

"Then let's head on over," the white-haired Sannin stated.

* * *

It was too much to hope for a peaceful trip to the district, however, as Jiraiya and Minato encountered the person they had no intention of meeting...

"Good afternoon, I trust that you two are well," Jin feigned cordiality as he walked over.

"As much as we could be now that you're here," Jiraiya scowled, holding no patience for the bastard at the moment. His slimy nature really rubbed him the wrong way...

"So cold, Jiraiya-sama. I thought we were trying to forge better relationships between our villages. Must you be so hostile?" Jin frowned, mocking them by looking wounded.

"That's rich coming from you," Jiraiya snorted. "You're the one who is least likely to try forging good relations with Konoha. You're too busy being stuck in the past."

"Like I'm the only one?" Jin retorted. "You haven't let go of your former student. Why else would you take his legacy on as a student when everyone knows you swore never to take on another student again?" He shot 'Naruto' a hateful look, only to have it returned tenfold.

"I didn't select Naruto because of his lineage," Jiraiya said firmly. "I chose him _and_ two others based off of their merit. My past had nothing to do with my decision. I saw potential in them so I took them under my wing. That is all."

"How noble," Jin said dryly. "To counter your own beliefs about me, I have been trying to let go of the past and forge relationships with Konoha. I've spent most of this month getting to know one of Konoha's beloved Chuunin. If I recall, Jiraiya-sama, you once witnessed one of my attempts a few weeks back when I was enjoying one Umino Iruka's company."

The level of Killing Intent that poured off Minato nearly paralyzed both Jiraiya and Jin.

Minato didn't know where the intense feelings of rage had come from. The moment Jin had confessed the emotions had completely overwhelmed him. The only rationalization he could make was that these feelings weren't his own... They were Naruto's.

Nevertheless, the realization wasn't enough to prevent Minato from being consumed by said emotions and he found himself lunging at the Iwa nin.

"Stay away from Iruka-sensei!" he found himself yelling, right before Jiraiya grabbed hold of him, keeping him from actually succeeding in his attack.

Jiraiya was more than a little surprised at the change in events. He never thought he would see Minato lose his cool like this... He shuddered at the memory of the Killing Intent. Sannin or not, his student's Killing Intent was something he didn't wish to experience again. He could even put Orochimaru's to shame in that aspect.

Seeing that it wouldn't be wise to keep Jin and Minato in the same vicinity of one another, Jiraiya quickly retreated, leaving Jin alone.

Jin remained paralyzed where he stood, trying to process what had just happened. For a moment, he had felt as if it wasn't Naruto he had been facing, but rather, a certain Yondaime Hokage...

'_It must have been my imagination..._' he decided dismissively. There was no way that bastard was still alive...

* * *

"What was that all about?" Jiraiya asked Minato once he set him down a good distance away.

"I don't know," Minato admitted. "I just got so angry, so fast. It took me by surprise. Those were Naruto's feelings, I'm sure of it. He feels things so intensely. I had always known that, but to experience that myself... it gives an entirely different outlook."

"Naruto may not be so out of reach as we originally thought," Jiraiya mused. "If you're starting to feel his emotions, it may not be long before he wakes up."

"I hope so," Minato said.

"We should hurry over to Naruto's Hyuuga friend. She might be able to give us a better idea of what's going on in that body of yours," the Sannin decided and they continued on their way.

That is, until they encountered somebody else... the Sandaime Hokage.

"It's been a while since I've seen you outside of your office, Sensei," Jiraiya remarked, looking surprised.

"Well I have been quite busy. There is much to prepare for," the aged Hokage admitted, referencing both the Finals and the invasion.

"Indeed there is," Jiraiya agreed.

"So what are the two of you up to? I heard you were hospitalized for chakra exhaustion," Sarutobi addressed the young blonde.

"I recovered quickly," Minato said smoothly, mimicking the cocky smirk Naruto placed on his face when he wanted to look unaffected by whatever would drag other people down.

"I should have expected that from you," the Hokage chuckled. "Still, I'm surprised they discharged you so quickly."

"They didn't," Minato admitted cheekily. "I discharged myself."

Sarutobi blinked in surprise before chuckling. Naruto truly was a character. "Just take care of yourself, okay? I wouldn't want anything to happen to you before you get the chance to show everybody what you're capable of at the Finals."

"You won't have to worry about that. I'll take everyone by storm," Minato promised.

"I'll hold you to that, Naruto. I'm sure you'll amaze us all," the Hokage said supportively. "I must go now, there is still much work it be done. Take care."

"Bye," Jiraiya and Minato said simultaneously before they headed on their own way as well.

"We just keep bumping into everybody," Jiraiya shook his head. "At this rate, it will take forever to find your friend."

"So it would seem," Minato agreed as he saw they were being approached once again, this time by Kiba and Sakuya.

"We finally found you," Kiba said, panting. "Your scent threw us off. There's something a little different about it..."

Jiraiya and Minato glanced at each other. It seemed that Minato's current possession of Naruto's body didn't just affect his chakra and outward appearance alone.

Sakuya rushed over, recognizing Minato's scent. She was disappointed that it wasn't her mama, but she liked Minato just as much.

"She missed you," Kiba smiled, giving Sakuya a fond look.

"I missed her too," Minato admitted, getting more used to playing his role. "Thank you for taking care of her."

"It's no problem. It's the least that I can do... given everything I said and did during the Preliminaries. I'm _really_ sorry about that. I've treated you horribly and you didn't deserve any of that. I was being stupid. I hope you can forgive me," Kiba apologized.

Minato blinked in surprise. He hadn't really expected the stubborn dog nin to actually apologize for what had occurred weeks back. The apology may have been more effective if it had really been Naruto he had said sorry to, but given that it wasn't exactly his fault for the bad timing, Minato couldn't fault him.

As it was, the emotions Naruto would have felt upon such an uncharacteristic, yet sincere, request for forgiveness, poured out quickly.

"As long as you're really sorry, I guess it's okay. Just try not be such a douche from now on," Minato spoke for Naruto. Jiraiya had to stifle a laugh. Hearing Minato speak like that was amusing...

Kiba just smirked. "I can do that… if you try not to be such an idiot from now on," he countered in a good-natured manner.

Minato smiled. He had a feeling that the rivalry between Naruto and Kiba would be a lot less malicious now. They could actually have a chance at becoming friends again.

"While this is touching and all, we still have some work to do and it would be good if we could get it done before it gets dark," Jiraiya broke through the conversation.

"We still need to find Hinata," Minato remembered, causing Kiba to look surprised.

"If you're looking for Hinata, you're going in the wrong direction. She's at Training Ground Eight, helping Shino train," Kiba remarked.

"You mean to say we could have avoided all of the encounters we've had so far and just got to business if we had just gone to look for here there?" Jiraiya frowned in displeasure. So much for still having some time to do his research once he and Minato solved the mystery of why he had Naruto's body. Minato could only look sheepish.

"What do you want with Hinata?" Kiba wondered.

"I need her help with something," Minato admitted.

"Is there anything that I can do to help?" Kiba inquired.

"Unfortunately no, but you've helped us enough by telling us where to go. Thanks, Kiba," Minato bid the other boy farewell before he and Jiraiya walked away, with Sakuya following after them happily.

Kiba stared after them, a confused look on his face. Was it just him or did Naruto seem a little more polite than normal?

* * *

"We finally found her," Jiraiya sighed as they found Hinata fighting against Shino.

"This time without interruptions," Minato remarked, quirking his lips upward.

As they approached, they were noticed by both Genin.

"Naruto, Jiraiya-sama," Shino greeted them, his Kikai bugs buzzing restlessly around him.

"How are you doing, Shino? You look like you're getting into good shape," Minato complimented.

"I'm fine, you look well," Shino answered, mildly puzzled by Naruto's politeness. The blonde usually didn't pay too much attention to him. Although, it wasn't exactly his fault. Shino was just too quiet.

"I've been good," Minato agreed. "I was wondering if we could borrow Hinata for a while. That is, if both of you don't mind."

"I see no problem," Shino remarked before glancing at Hinata. "Hinata?"

"I don't mind going with you, Naruto-kun," Hinata agreed before walking over to Minato and Jiraiya as they walked away.

"So where to?" Jiraiya queried, wondering where they would hold their conversation.

"Home," Minato decided. It was the most private place for the time being, especially now that Minato had added onto the seals protecting it, ever since Daichi had succeeded in breaking in.

When they arrived, they found both Gaara and Ino waiting for them at the door.

Once the trio got into the sight of Jiraiya's two other students, Ino immediately tackled Minato.

"Damn it, Naruto. You scared the shit out of his. You shouldn't have left the hospital like that. When Shikamaru told me you had just walked out like that, I got really worried, you know?" Ino ranted, fussing over him.

"I'm fine, Ino-chan," Minato responded before turning serious. "But unfortunately, I'm _not_ Naruto."

Hinata glanced at him, startled. That wasn't something she had expected to hear. "If you're not Naruto, who are you?" she asked quietly.

"Come inside and I'll explain everything," Minato beckoned all of them inside.

Twenty minutes later, Hinata had been fully clued in and, for the most part, she was taking it well but none of them were surprised about that. If there was anybody who could accept the unique truths about Naruto easily, it was Hinata.

"It all makes sense now," she mused. "I'm glad you finally told me, Yondaime-sama."

"Call me Minato," the blonde insisted. He had finally got Ino to relax on referring to him via his title, he didn't want to have to do the very same thing with Hinata.

"If that's what you want, Minato-san," Hinata conceded. "So you want me to use my Byakugan to see if I can figure out what's going on with your body?"

"Yes," Minato agreed. "This has never happened like this before and I want to understand it so that I can make sure it doesn't happen again."

"I'll do my best," Hinata stated before she activated her Kekkei Genkai. She glanced at Minato and was nearly blinded by the brilliant gold chakra she saw coursing through him.

Blinking a few times, she slowly adjusted and was able to assess the state of his chakra more closely.

From what she could see, Minato's chakra was almost completely dominating the chakra coils but she noticed a faint outline of blue chakra beginning to seep out of the chakra core in progressively larger spurts.

"You said you were attempting synchronization when this happened, right?" Hinata asked for clarification.

"That is right," Minato confirmed.

"Well, from what it looks like, when you synchronized, your chakra overwhelmed Naruto's, which initially knocked you out. When you came back to your senses, your chakra still had complete control, suppressing Naruto's. As he hasn't yet awakened, his own chakra hasn't started flowing out as much. It seems that it will be a gradual process but I have a strong belief that he will be back soon. His chakra is beginning to peek through your own."

"How long do you think it will be before his chakra returns to normal levels and awaken him?" Gaara wondered.

"I can't be too sure but I would say maybe a day or two," Hinata admitted.

"But the Chuunin Exams are in two days," Ino exclaimed.

"If Naruto doesn't wake up by then, Minato will have to take the exam," Jiraiya stated.

Minato looked frustrated. He didn't want to take away Naruto's chance to prove himself but he knew he couldn't back down either. He wouldn't let people see Naruto as a coward.

"Is there anything that we can do to speed up the process?" Gaara asked.

"I wouldn't advise it," Hinata said. "Chakra systems can be rather temperamental. If we mess with theirs anymore, we could just make things worse."

"We'll just have to wait things out then and hope for the best," Jiraiya realized. It looked everything would depend on time.


	35. Playing the Waiting Game

A/N: I'm terribly sorry about the long wait. I hit a big writer's block for this story and it took a while to push past. I also apologize for the shortness of the chapter but with the plans I have, I figured it would be best to split the chapter as it would have been too long otherwise and it would have taken me even longer to get it all out to you, so there will still be one more chapter before the Chuunin Exam Finals unlike how I had initially predicted. I hope you like it nonetheless. We're almost at the good part, I promise.

**Sorafallenangel11**: I'm not sure anymore. I had original plans for Gaara and Ino but now with how things developed, I'm not sure they'd work out the same way. I had contemplated putting Ino and Gaara together but now that they're kind of pseudo-siblings, I'm not entirely sure how that would work out… As for whether Naruto or Minato will take the exam, you'll just have to wait and see *evil smile*

**Lyricalgurl8**: I'm glad you enjoyed the story. I'll try to update more quickly nowadays, hopefully my muse won't escape me again…

**Lokiva**: Glad you like it.

**AriesASA**: Yes, Sasuke will be evil. His persona's already beginning to shape into one with little redemption.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Four: Playing the Waiting Game

The next morning, Minato woke up and sighed in defeat as he found himself still stuck in control of Naruto's body. According to Hinata, it would still be some time before Naruto woke up but the Yondaime couldn't help but hope that moment would come sooner.

'_One more day until the Finals,_' the Yondaime thought with dread. He prayed that time would be on their side.

Climbing out of bed, he went through the morning rituals mechanically, wondering how he should spend the day and if there was anything that he could do to speed up the recovery process. He quickly shot that idea down. He didn't want to complicate matters more than they already had been.

Minato figured it would be best to keep a low profile. He knew how his son acted but hiding his own personal quirks amongst those who knew Naruto well would be difficult. It still irked him that Shikamaru had figured him out so quickly.

At the same time, Minato had no intention of spending the entire day cooped up within the small, run-down apartment his son was forced to call home. He was a shinobi. He didn't sit still very well.

He was broken from his reverie when Ino came in, dragging Gaara with her. Jiraiya walked in after them, looking rather sulky.

"What's going on?" Minato wondered, curious about what had gotten Ino so excited.

"We're taking you shopping!" Ino declared.

"... What?" Minato blinked in confusion. Just what was Ino up to? "Why?"

"Come on, Minato-san, surely you agree that it's time for Naruto to get a new wardrobe. That horrible orange jumpsuit succeeded in getting him the attention he sought back when he was a Pre-Genin, but it's hardly strategically wise for him to keep using it. I bet the only reason he's managed to survive solar is that he's a lot stronger than most people think _and_ he's got you to back him up. That will only fly for so long, you know," Ino insisted.

Minato admitted that Ino had a point, but why bring it up now?

When he voiced his question, Ino only grew more excited.

"What better time? It's the day before the Finals. The first time Naruto will show off his new clothes will be in the midst of battle. It would make one hell of an impression, don't you think? You said it yourself, the Chuunin Exams is the time Naruto can truly shine. He hasn't got too many opportunities to do that with all of the complications that have gotten in the way so far, so why not go all out now?" Ino explained.

"You just want to go shopping," Jiraiya grumbled under his breath, only to get kicked in the shin by the irate blonde female. He yelped loudly, silently cursing himself for having taught her a simple way to amplify her strength.

"Ino has a point, though," Gaara backed up his teammate and 'sister'. "Giving Naruto a new image could prove to be a good strategic move in helping him step out of the shadow of being a Jinchuuriki and into the light as one of Konoha's great shinobi, one worthy of taking on your legacy."

"Besides, wouldn't you want to see the look on Sasuke's face when he sees that Naruto can not only own him completely in terms of fighting ability but that he looks that much cooler than him too?" Ino inquired with a devious smile.

While Minato hated the Uchiha, he was beyond such cheap ways to get one up on them. The part of him influenced by Naruto's emotions, on the other hand, liked the idea a lot.

'_No matter how much more mature Naruto has gotten, he's still a child,_' Minato shook his head in exasperation. Who was he to deny Naruto his fun? "You win, Ino-chan. Let's go," he spoke aloud, ignoring the betrayed look on Jiraiya's face. He bet his sensei had hoped he would refuse.

Ino cheered happily and led the group towards the clothing stores.

* * *

"I wonder where Ino is..." Sakura wondered curiously as she walked through the streets of Konoha. Kurenai had let her go for the day so Sakura was looking forward to spending sometime rekindling the friendship between her and the blonde. They hadn't got spend as much time together as they would have hoped, having been training the majority of the time.

When she saw a sulky looking Jiraiya standing outside of a shop that sold clothing for shinobi, she recalled that he was the one currently teaching Ino. She wondered what he was doing there.

She was about to approach him when she saw Ino come out, glaring at the Sannin in a reprimanding manner.

"Come _on_, Jiraiya-sensei. I didn't bring you here so you could just sulk around. I brought you here so that you could give us your opinion. Now stop being useless and help us out!" she scolded him, pulling the man inside the shop, despite his protests.

If Sakura hadn't known Ino so well, she would have found it bizarre to think of anyone scolding one of the Sannin like that. Instead, she found it utterly hilarious.

Now that her curiosity was peaked, Sakura couldn't resist going to see what the duo was up to.

She found Ino, Jiraiya and Gaara all waiting outside a trial room. Ino looked expectant, Gaara seemed vaguely amused and Jiraiya just looked really sulky.

"What's going on?" Sakura announced her presence, approaching the group.

Ino gave Sakura a happy grin. "You'll see," she winked before turning towards the fitting room. "Come on, Naruto, what's taking you so long?"

"Hold your horses," Sakura heard Naruto reply from within the fitting room before the door finally opened. Sakura couldn't help but gape.

For once, Naruto was not wearing his trademark orange. He was clad in a more traditional blue shinobi outfit, somewhat similar to the one that Iruka wore, minus the Chuunin jacket. It looked good on him and yet...

"It's just not you," Ino decided. "You're not the type suited to conform to the common trend. We need to find you something that will make a statement."

"You're the fashion expert," Minato prompted, more than a little amused with the proceedings. Having been with Kushina and Kyuubi for so long, he had gained a lot of patience. If Naruto had been in control in his place, the boy surely would have begun to whine. He hated shopping unless it was for weapons or other shinobi materials.

"Come on, Sakura, let's go look," the blonde female grabbed her friend and dragged her off.

"You're getting Naruto a new wardrobe?" Sakura queried incredulously.

"Yeah, we all agreed it was time for Naruto to ditch the image of the village idiot. He's far more than that and it is time that everyone sees that," Ino spoke proudly, a devious gleam in her eyes at the thought of the shock everyone would go through when Naruto would finally show his true colors to them all. She wasn't going to let her surrogate brother and the Yondaime's legacy be seen for anything less any longer. Now that she was in his life, she would make sure that Naruto was granted everything he deserved and more. It was the least that she could do for all of the horrible mistakes she had made over the years, falling in line with all of the villagers' beliefs for so long.

Sakura looked thoughtful over Ino's words. She agreed that there was a lot more to Naruto than what most people saw but the way Ino spoke of him with such high regard still seemed a little strange. She was acting almost as if Naruto was the second coming of the Yondaime Hokage or something.

"It's amazing how much you've grown to care for him in such a short time," Sakura mused.

"Well… he's easy to love," Ino responded with a small smile. "In a completely platonic way, mind you. I have no intention of being Shikamaru's competition."

Sakura giggled at that. She found Shikamaru and Naruto's relationship rather adorable. It wasn't every day that you saw a lazy Nara striving so hard to do anything, much less woo a "troublesome blonde." "They're good for one another," she mused.

"I agree," Ino nodded. "Now if only we could show Naruto that…"

Sakura frowned in confusion. The last she'd heard, Naruto and Shikamaru's relationship had been developing nicely. What was going on now?

"What happened?" she queried.

"That bastard Daichi got to Naruto and threatened him, saying that if he didn't break up with Shikamaru, he would kill him… amongst other things. Naruto didn't want to risk Shikamaru's safety so he did as the Iwa nin told him," Ino replied, her eyes darkening with anger.

"Naruto gave up?" Sakura voiced her disbelief. She thought for certain that the boy would have fought harder.

"Daichi drove him into a corner and with other people's lives on the line, I can understand how Naruto would give in. He doesn't want anyone to get hurt because of his own stubbornness," Ino mused, crossing her arms.

"I suppose but we can't let things stay the way they are. Shikamaru and Naruto belong together, anyone who isn't blind can see that. We can't let Daichi win," Sakura declared.

"I agree with you on that front," Ino agreed. "If I know Shikamaru as I do, he's not going to let that bastard Iwa nin get the last laugh. If anyone is going to prove to Naruto that they should be together, it's him."

"I'm getting a lot more excited for the Finals now," Sakura thought. She was looking forward to seeing Daichi get his ass kicked by the genius kage nin. Shikamaru was a tricky opponent even at his laziest. Who knew what he would be capable of when he was fully motivated?

"Back to business at hand," Ino cut off the topic, eyeing the various clothes in front of them. "Let's try to find Naruto something to wear that won't scream 'Kill me now' while still making a statement…"

* * *

"The girls are sure taking their sweet time," Jiraiya remarked grumpily as he, Minato and Gaara waited patiently for Ino and Sakura to return from scoping out the various clothes.

"You never were the most patient person in the world, Sensei," Minato remarked, chuckling in amusement.

"I could be using this time for research," the Sannin groused, looking very much like a sulky child.

"There are better things that you could do with your time than look at naked women," Gaara said flatly.

"You just haven't had the time to appreciate the finer sex like I do," Jiraiya told his young student. "If you stick with me long enough, you'll begin to understand."

"Do not attempt to corrupt either of my sons, Sensei, or you will answer to me," Minato whispered in Jiraiya's ears so that no one would have the odd experience of hearing a thirteen-year old boy speak as if he was an overprotective father.

While Jiraiya looked sheepish, Gaara flushed at being referred to as Minato's son. He had never been claimed as a son before. His real father had always been far too ashamed of him…

Hearing Minato refer to him like that made him feel like he was really a part of the ever-growing family.

Jiraiya and Minato observed the boy with warm eyes.

"You being here is doing a lot more good than you think… and not just for Naruto either," Jiraiya murmured. "You better be careful, though, otherwise you may end up adopting more children than you can handle."

"As I've said before, Kushina and I always wanted a big family," Minato responded. "I do not mind the expansion."

"Just make sure you have enough room in your heart to give all of them an equal amount of love and attention," Jiraiya reminded the former Hokage.

"I will," Minato assured the Sannin before looking amused. Who would have thought he would ever be given advice on how to raise children from the eternal bachelor himself?

"We're back," Ino sang as she and Sakura returned, their arms hidden behind their back.

Minato, Gaara and Jiraiya exchanged quizzical looks. They had a feeling that they should be wary of the looks on the girls' faces. When girls looked that triumphant, it didn't always spell good news for the men around them.

"We found you the perfect outfit, Naruto, just you wait and see," Sakura giggled, tugging Minato towards the nearest fitting room.

"What is it?" he tried to ask them, curious to know why they were so pleased with themselves.

"You'll see," Ino replied as the Jinchuuriki was pushed into the fitting room. She thrust the clothes in with him and gave distinct orders. "Don't come out until you've tried them on."

Minato just shook his head in amusement at his "daughter's" antics before looking at the clothes. He raised an eyebrow. This was definitely going to make a bold statement… he just hoped it wouldn't be _too_ bold.

"What am I thinking?" he muttered to himself. This was Naruto they were talking about. While he kept most of his deepest secrets closest to his heart, he was one of the boldest people the former Hokage had ever known.

Getting dressed without complaint, Minato then stepped out of the dressing room to be met with the excited squeals of Ino and Sakura.

"I knew it would look great on you!" Ino exclaimed, clapping her hands together in approval.

"You look amazing, Naruto!" Sakura agreed, green eyes glowing with glee.

"I've got to admit… the girls made a good call on this one," Jiraiya added his own opinion, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "I can't wait for the reactions it will elicit tomorrow."

"I like it," Gaara said simply with a nod.

"Then I guess we have a keeper," Minato responded. It looked like everybody was looking forward to messing with the general public with the display he would make once they arrived at the stadium that was being set up for the Finals. He just hoped Naruto would be conscious by then to experience it himself.

* * *

"So how would you all like to spend the last day before Finals? Don't tell me training because I would hardly advise that," Jiraiya queried, having finally given up on getting any research done that day.

"We should have a picnic!" Ino exclaimed, eyes glistening with hope. "It would be a fun way to end the month break!"

"I like that idea," Sakura agreed. "We should invite the other teams as well."

"Does that mean my brother and sister can come too?" Gaara asked shyly, wondering if the invitation was only meant for the Konoha teams.

"Of course," Minato smiled at his adoptive son warmly. "They're more than welcome."

"I hope you know if you do this it would be best to invite the Iwa team too, if only for propriety's sake. We don't want to look like we're directly snubbing them or anything. The last thing we need is a diplomatic incident," Jiraiya pointed out, although he didn't look very happy about that.

"It is only fair," Gaara agreed, knowing quite a bit about diplomacy as a Kage's child, even if said Kage tried to kill him on a regular basis.

"Fine," Ino conceded, pouting. She quickly shook that off. She wouldn't let those guys make this day a bad one.

"We should invite the Jounin-sensei as well. Why should the kids be the only ones to have fun?" Jiraiya suggested. He didn't want to be the only adult amongst a group of brats – never mind the fact that one of them happened to be the Yondaime Hokage stuck in the body of a brat.

"That's a good idea!" Sakura agreed. "Let's include Iruka-sensei too. What do you think, Naruto?"

"That sounds like a plan," Minato agreed, feeling the rush of pleasure coursing through Naruto at the thought of seeing his favorite sensei again after such a long time.

"We should get started gathering everyone together," Gaara remarked.

"I'll gather my team," Ino declared, scampering off to do just that.

"As will I," Gaara agreed, vanishing in a swirl of sand.

"I don't know where to find Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke-kun," Sakura remarked uncertainly.

"Leave them to me," Minato assured Sakura. "How about you alert Team Eight and Team Gai, Sakura-chan?"

"I can do that," the pink-haired kunoichi brightened up, going off quickly.

"Leave the Iwa team to me," Jiraiya declared. Although Minato was currently in control of Naruto's body, Jiraiya still couldn't believe that nothing bad would happen if Minato was the one to seek them out.

"Alright, see you soon, Sensei," Minato bid the Sannin farewell before using the Hiraishin to get close to where Kakashi and Sasuke were training.


	36. Picnic

A/N: I'm sorry I took so long getting this chapter out. Med school's getting harder so it's getting a little more difficult finding time to write but now with my new bluetooth keyboard and the ability to post straight from my iPad will help me out a bit.

Given that I typed this on my iPad, there may be a couple of mistakes I may have missed but I believe I caught most of them. Be sure to let me know so I can keep a closer eye on what I'm writing.

The latest Naruto chapters have confirmed things I'd been afraid to believe but I don't think I'll be able to incorporate it with the story. Not with how things have been established already.

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Five: Picnic

Kakashi had to admit that he enjoyed training Sasuke... mostly for the chance to unleash his sadistic side on the arrogant youth. He definitely needed to be taken down a few notches.

"You're still too slow," he told Sasuke gleefully as he threw another kunai that just barely missed the Uchiha's family jewels. Kakashi found that disappointed him.

Knowing how Sasuke viewed his beloved little brother made Kakashi think castration was the best solution.

He was prevented from another go at the dark-haired Genin when he sensed a presence behind him.

Turning around, he found Naruto standing there, looking at him with raised eyebrows.

"What?" Kakashi queried defensively, having the distinct feeling that he was being scolded.

"Your sadism never ceases to amaze me, Kakashi," Naruto spoke, his tone giving away his silent truth.

'_Sensei?_' Kakashi thought, puzzled. Why was the Yondaime using Naruto's body like this?

Giving Kakashi a look to say that he would explain later, Minato adopted a look more suitable for Naruto's face. He was getting the hang of it. "I came to invite you two to a picnic. We're gathering all of the teams participating in the Chuunin Exams to commemorate the end of our month break," Minato declared with childish glee.

'_I'm going to have to get used to this,_' the Copy Nin mused. It was weird to see the legendary Yellow Flash act like a child.

"You're inviting me too? I thought you didn't like me, dobe," Sasuke commented as he approached the two of them.

"I don't like your attitude, teme, but that doesn't mean I'm going to snub you. You're my teammate. Besides, Sakura will want you to be there," Minato declared, wishing they didn't have to invite the bastard. He knew that would be the wrong move. It would further alienate the boy from his peers which would push him towards Orochimaru. Minato didn't want the Uchiha anywhere near his son but Orochimaru getting his hands on the Sharingan was even worse.

"Hn, I'll think about it," Sasuke grunted as he turned his back to them. "Right now, I've got some training to do. Just because you never found a good teacher and have most likely wasted all of your time goofing off doesn't mean I have."

He paused as he heard both Kakashi and Minato let out choked snorts. Turning back, he found them looking at him innocently. Glaring at them in annoyance, Sasuke stormed off.

He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being made fun of.

* * *

Team Eight was hard at work providing Shino with some last minute training when Sakura approached them.

"Hey Sakura," Kiba greeted, waving at her. He used to think that she was just an annoying fan girl but her last month training with Kurenai had slowly began to change his opinion of her.

"Hi, I was wondering if al of you would like to join us for a picnic on the Hokage Monument later today? That includes you too, Kurenai-sensei."

"Who else is coming?" Kurenai queried.

"We're inviting all of the teams participating in the Finals, plus their Senseis."

"It sounds like fun,"Hinata remarked. Shino nodded in agreement as Kiba whooped.

"I suppose that means we'll be coming," the Genjutsu Mistress remarked, seeing how excited her subordinates were. Besides, it wold be a great opportunity to spend time with Asuma...

"Great," Sakura smiled before rushing off. She still had Lee's team to invite.

* * *

"Asuma-sensei!" Ino exclaimed excitedly as she rushed to where he was training Shikamaru and Chouji.

"Hey, long time no see, stranger," the chain smoker joked. "How is training been going with Jiraiya-sensei?"

"It's been great. I've learned a lot already. He's a good teacher as long as he's not attempting to do any of that horrible research of his," Ino chattered.

"It's good to see that he's taking your training seriously," Asuma voiced his approval. "So what brings you here?"

"I wanted to invite you to a picnic. Everyone is coming... or well, everyone is invited, anyways."

"Will there be food?" Chouji asked hungrily.

"Of course," Ino laughed. Chouji was so predictable.

"We'll be there!" Chouji cheered.

"I'll see you all later then," Ino waved goodbye before leaving.

* * *

"A picnic! What a youthful idea!" Gai boomed. "We'll be certain to come."

Sakura smiled and she was about to leave when she found herself face to face with Lee.

Yelping, she scrambled back. She glared at him without malice once she calmed down.

"Damn it, Lee-san, don't do that. You scared me," she reprimanded him. He looked guilty.

"Please forgive me, Sakura-san. I got too excited and startled you. As punishment, I will do one thousand one-handed push ups. If I fail to do so, I will do two thousand!"

"That's not necessary," Sakura said hastily. "Just be more careful from now on. Now what was it that you wanted to say?"

"You're much too kind, Sakura-san," Lee responded before blushing. "I was wondering about this picnic... would you go with me as my date?"

Now it was Sakura's turn to blush. She didn't think that she would ever get used to Lee's attempts to ask her out. He did it without even the slightest hesitation. It was flattering but at the same time, she thought it was too soon to be considering this particular step.

"I think that, for now, wouldn't it be better for us to build our friendship first?" she inquired softly, surprised to find that where she would have once flat out rejectee Lee, she had no such feeling now.

"Yosh, you are right as always, Sakura-san. I will do my best to be the greatest friend you have ever had!" Lee promised, causing Sakura to giggle.

"I'll hold you to that, Lee-san," she answered before leaving.

* * *

"Well, well, what brings you here, Jiraiya-sama," Jin sneered from where he sat on a rock in the middle of a torn up training ground alongside his Genin.

Jiraiya didn't let Jin's disrespect get to him. The Iwa Jounin would not succeed in baiting him.

"There is going to be a picnic on the Hokage Mountain for the Genin in the finals and their teams. You're invited. Come or don't come. It's your choice."

"I'm surprised that you're planning to let us so close too the Yondaime's precious legacy," Jin drawled, stopping the Sannin's departure.

"He's safe no matter what you may attempt to do," Jiraiya spoke firmly.

"That's big talk coming from you. How can you expect to protect him when you couldn't even protect his father?"

Anger and guilt shot through the Toad Sage at those words but he held himself back. He would not be the one to cause a diplomatic incident.

He just walked away.

* * *

"You want us to go on a picnic?"Kankurou asked incredulously. He found it hard to believe that Gaara of all people was inviting them to a social event.

"Only if you want to," Gaara responded shyly, looking down. He was still awkward around his actual siblings.

"We'd love to," Temari said quickly. She didn't want Gaara to pull within himself again. "Isn't that right, Baki?"

"Of course,"" the Jounin responded. "I see no harm in it." He wouldn't deny Gaara a chance at the happiness he never got in Suna, especially given that the next day, Konoha would be invaded and the Jinchuuriki would have to pick sides.

He didn't know that the Sand Siblings had no intention of going against Konoha. In fact, they were making moves to help Konoha end the invasion as easily as possible. There was no need for such bloodshed... on anyone's part.

* * *

Minato had only one stop left before he returned to meet Jiraiya, Ino, Gaara, and Sakura: the Academy.

He found Iruka finishing his lecture for the day to Konohamaru's class.

"Oh, Naruto, what brings you here?" Iruka asked once the kids left, delighted to see his little brother.

"An invitation," Minato responded with a bright smile, caught up in Naruto's giddiness. "All of the teams involved in the Chuunin Exams are invited... and the teachers too. Considering you taught so many of us, you deserve an invitation just as much as everyone else."

Iruka looked flattered. "Thank you for including me, I would love to come."

"Great."

"Can we come too?"

Minato and Iruka looked too see Konohamaru, Moegi and Udon standing at the door, looking hopeful.

An amused smile appeared on Minato's face. He should have expected this. Who was he to deny them?

"Of course."

"Yay!" the kids cheered."Thanks, Naruto-nii-chan!"

They all hugged him before rushing off excitedly.

"You're good with them," Iruka complimented. "They really look up to you, Naruto."

"They're good kids," Minato responded sagely, earning an amused look from Iruka.

"You speak as if you're not a child yourself, Naruto."

Minato blushed as he realized he'd broken character.

Thankfully, Iruka just looked amused.

"I have to go to the Mission Room now, Naruto. I'll see you later," the brown-haired Chuunin bid the blonde farewell, ruffling Naruto's hair.

Waving goodbye, Minato slipped away and met up with his companions.

* * *

"Everybody should be coming soon," Ino said as she and the others finished setting up for the picnic. "I'm surprised we managed to get all of this done in time."

"You can thank Naruto's insane chakra stores," Sakura remarked, gazing at her teammate in amusement. He had produced countless clones to help expedite the set up process.

"I see using your chakra is getting easier," Jiraiya whispered to Minato.

"Yeah, the chaos is dimming down but Naruto still hasn't woken up. I'm beginning to get a little worried," Minato admitted.

"You just need to be patient. You heard Hinata, it may take a little more time for Naruto to be ready to reclaim his body."

"I know. It's just that... this is the first time I've been completely alone in my mind for the last thirteen years. It's strange, and frankly, I kind of miss the normal sort of chaos versus this kind."

"Considering I never shared my mind with anyone else, I can't exactly respond to that but you aren't alone."

"Yeah, you have us," Ino butt into the conversation, giving the former Hokage a pointed look. "I thought we were family to you."

Minato found himself smiling.

"You are," he confirmed.

"You miss him and that's understandable," Gaara said. "But he'll be back sooner than you know it. That's Naruto, after all."

"You're right," the Hokage possessing his son agreed before giving his two 'kids' a fond look. "What would we do without you?"

"Crash and burn," Ino responded before they all began to chuckle.

"Am I missing something?" Sakura asked, approaching them. She hadn't heard anything but she couldn't help but feel a little left out.

"Oh, not really. We're just making fun of Naruto a bit. It's so fun, isn't it?" Ino said impishly and Sakura laughed.

"Damn right," she agreed, shooting a teasing look at Minato, who just pouted.

"You guys are no fun," he channeled Naruto's feelings perfectly.

"You know we love you," Ino responded, glomping the blonde.

"You better be careful, Shikamaru. It looks like Ino is trying to steal your man," a familiar, obnoxious voice rang through the air and the group turned to see Kiba smiling wolfishly at a glaring Shikamaru. Their respective teams just looked at them in bemusement... until Hinata smacked Kiba upside the head. Then they all laughed, except for Shino and the sullen looking Shikamaru.

"It's nice to know that even if Hinata-chan has you whipped, you haven't changed, Kiba," Minato quipped, a playful smirk on his face.

"What did you say?" Kiba exclaimed irately, getting into Minato's face, growling like a feral animal.

"Just the truth," Minato countered, completely unconcerned as Hinata dragged him away.

"You guys have already fought enough during the Preliminaries. Stop antagonizing one another," Hinata scolded.

"Yes, Hinata-chan," they both said dutifully.

"Yosh! It looks like the party has already begun!" Gai called out as he and his team arrived.

"Loud as always, Gai," Kakashi drawled as he and Sasuke arrived. He was rubbing his ear gingerly.

Gai just beamed.

"We're here, Gaara," Temari announced the presence of the Suna team. She embraced her brother lovingly, causing him to flush. He was still getting used to being shown affection. Between Temari and Ino, he didn't think he would be deprived of it again.

"You guys have done a good job," Asuma complimented the group that had set up the picnic.

"Thanks, Asuma-sensei," Ino smiled as she watched him slip over to Kurenai's side. They were so cute together... especially when they thought they were being subtle about their affections for one another.

"We're not late, are we?" Iruka asked as he and the Konohamaru Corps finally made their way to the Yondaime's head.

"Not at all," Minato smiled, watching as Kakashi's eye lit up at the sight of his object of affections.

"Long time no see, Iruka-sensei," Kakashi abandoned Sasuke to take his place beside the brunette.

Iruka blushed faintly. "It's been a while, Kakashi-sensei. I've missed you," he admitted shyly, blushing harder when it was clear how happy Kakashi had become at those words.

"Is that so?" Kakashi drawled, looking like he was on Cloud Nine.

"Gag me," Sasuke interrupted the moment to voice his disgust. He was automatically subject to Kakashi's Killing Intent.

"It looks like all of the freaks are here," Daichi declared, looking unperturbed by all of the glares that were directed his way.

"What are you doing here?" Kiba scowled as he saw the Iwa team enter the scene.

"We were invited," Michiru sneered.

"It was the right thing to do," Jiraiya answered, trying to quell the animosity before it could grow any more.

"Behave, Daichi. This isn't the way to create diplomatic relations," Jin scolded, pretending that he actually cared about keeping up appearances.

"Che," Daichi scoffed but he didn't bait the other Genin any more.

Jin turned a warm look towards Iruka that caused Kakashi to bristle.

"Good evening Iruka-sensei, you look great as always," Jin complimented.

"Thank you," Iruka responded modestly. He found himself inching closer to Kakashi on instinct. There was a strange look in Jin's eyes that made him feel a little nervous.

"How do you know each other?" Kakashi asked, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"We bumped into each other at the Academy and Iruka-sensei was kind enough to give me a tour of the village," Jin declared. "We've been friends ever since."

"Is this true?" Kakashi asked Iruka.

"Yes..." Iruka confirmed, looking confused. What was with the hostility between the two? He had never seen Kakashi so upset before...

"What reason do you have for bringing Iruka into this? He has nothing to do with it," the Copy Nin interrogated the other Jounin.

"He just caught my interest," Jin shrugged.

"I doubt that's your only reason," Kakashi scowled.

"Your paranoia is getting the better of you, Kakashi-sensei. Not everything I do has to do with you or your brats," Jin retorted.

Kakashi was about to say something when Iruka placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Kakashi-sensei, please... don't pick a fight when everybody has been looking forward to having a nice night," he pleaded, causing Kakashi to relent on his interrogation. He shot one last hateful look at Jin before allowing Iruka to lead him away.

"That was close, I was afraid we were going to have a fight on our hands," Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. She gave her sensei a concerned look. She had never seen him act like that before...

"Jin's been getting aggressive in his attempts to get under Kakashi-sensei's skin... and it's working," Minato said gravely with his arms crossed.

As the tense atmosphere finally dispersed, everyone got their food and settled down.

"This food is great! Who made it?" Chouji asked.

"Naruto did," Sakura declared, still surprised.

Everyone paused in their meal and stared at Minato incredulously.

"I live alone. I have to feed myself somehow," the blonde retorted. "I don't just eat ramen. As much as I love it, it's not the healthiest thing."

"Will the wonders never cease? You'd make an excellent housewife," Sasuke taunted. Minato didn't even grace the Uchiha with a look. He ignored him completely.

"Don't listen to him, Naruto. The food is great," TenTen complimented him.

"Thank you," Minato smiled. He'd had to learn to cook, for Kushina's sake. She certainly wasn't going to be the only one who cooked in the household.

"I've been meaning to ask," Sasuke spoke once again. "If this picnic is for the Genin teams participating in the Exams and their Sensei, why is he here?" He was looking straight at Jiraiya with the utmost disrespect.

Jiraiya felt an eyebrow twitch. What an insolent little brat... he was pretty damned tempted to let the boy learn what it was like to be a toad for an indeterminate amount of time.

"Show some respect," Kakashi barked. "That is Jiraiya of the Sannin. He is one of the greatest shinobi Konoha has ever produced. If you ever hope to reach the same level of greatness as he has, you will need to get off of your high horse."

"Hn," Sasuke grunted, turning his head in a clear snub of Kakashi. The Cyclopean shinobi looked tempted to rip the Uchiha to shreds but was calmed by Iruka's soothing words. "You still haven't explained why you're here, Jiraiya-sama."

"I'm here because I've taken a few of your fellow Genin under my wing. I figured it was about time I took on some new apprentices," Jiraiya responded.

"What?" Sasuke's attention was caught. Who had earned training with the Sannin? If anyone deserved such training it was him. "Who?"

"I think I'll keep that to myself for now," Jiraiya responded, dismissing Sasuke's demands. "I rather see the looks on people's faces when my students kick their asses in the Exam." He puffed his chest out with pride. He was going to enjoy seeing Gaara pound the Uchiha into submission just as much as seeing Naruto destroy Neji's misguided convictions.

Sasuke glared at Jiraiya sourly before turning back to his food and digging into it viciously.

"This is the guy you like? You could do so much better," Ino whispered to Sakura, looking at Sasuke with disdain. "Are you sure you won't give Lee-san a chance, Sakura-chan? He genuinely seems to care for you."

Sakura looked down. "There was a time that I would have said I would never choose anybody but Sasuke... that he was the one for me. But, to tell you the truth, he's beginning to scare me. As for Lee-san... I don't really know yet."

Ino blinked. She hadn't expected that response. She thought Sakura would have stubbornly defended Sasuke but it looked like she was finally beginning to see the light. Ino sighed in relief. Maybe she didn't have to worry about Sakura as much as she thought she did.

"You've been kind of quiet, Naruto, is everything alright?" Iruka asked the blonde in concern.

Minato gave Iruka a reassuring look. "I'm fine. I just can't wait for tomorrow."

"I don't see why. Your fate is to be defeated at my hands," Neji finally spoke up. He grew incensed when all Naruto did was look at him the same way adults did when they were humoring a naughty child.

"I make my own fate, Hyuuga. You should do the same."

Neji just snorted derisively.

The rest of the dinner went peacefully and it was soon time for everyone to go their separate ways.

"Thanks for the meal, Naruto. It was great. We should all do something like this again," Hinata smiled, hugging her friend before doing the same to Ino and a surprised Gaara.

"Come on, Hinata-sama, it's time to go," Neji asserted impatiently, looking unhappy to be her escort.

"Coming," Hinata sang, giving her surly cousin a charming smile as she rejoined him and headed off.

"She's getting good at handling all of the negativity around her," Minato said, feeling proud of the girl's progress. She would make an excellent Clan Head.

"We're heading out, Gaara. Are you going to come with us?" Temari queried.

"I think I'll stay with Naruto tonight," Gaara answered. If the invasion was to be tomorrow, this would be the last normal night they would have in Konoha for a long time.

"Have it your way," Kankurou answered, ruffling Gaara's hair. "Be sure to get some sleep. You'll want to be in top shape for the Exams."

"I will."

Temari surprised both Gaara and Minato when she embraced them both.

"Thank you for being Gaara's friend. If it hadn't been for you, we would have never have gotten our brother back," she whispered in Minato's ear. Releasing them, she gave them a fond look before she departed with Kankurou and Baki.

"This was fun. Good luck tomorrow," Kiba said as he and his team prepared to leave. "Kick Neji's ass for me, will you?"

"You can count on it," Minato promised.

TenTen looked like she had something to say about that but she refrained from saying anything when Lee spoke up instead.

"Yosh. You fight with such passion, Naruto-kun. You will be fighting my Eternal Rival. Please, carry my hopes and dreams with you in your fight!" Lee requested.

"I would be glad to," Minato smiled. "You will get your shot soon enough, Lee. Maybe not here in the Exams, but you will."

"I look forward to that day," Lee practically trembled with excitement as he bounded off with his team.

"You've got to admire his enthusiasm," Asuma chuckled before looking at Jiraiya. "It was good to see you again, Jiraiya-sama."

"You too," Jiraiya agreed.

Shikamaru looked at Minato and the question was clear. Was he Naruto?

Giving an apologetic look, Minato shook his head. Slumping in disappointment, Shikamaru and his team left.

"What was up with that? You seem awfully distant with Shikamaru, given the nature of your relationship," Sasuke queried, feeling pleased about that particular fact.

"That's not really any of your business," Minato asserted coolly.

"I'm your teammate. I'm just worried about you," Sasuke lied. Minato wasn't fooled at all but he didn't make any response.

"Just leave it alone, Sasuke," Ino scowled. "He doesn't have to tell you anything."

Sasuke glared at her. "Mind your own business, bitch. This has nothing to do with you."

Ino's eyes flashed and she was about to go show the arrogant Uchiha just what she had learned under Jiraiya's tutelage when Minato clasped a hand on her shoulder.

"He's not worth it, Ino-chan," he told her.

"I'll get him for you in the Finals," Gaara promised her under his breath.

Ino relaxed. She would listen to her teammates for now.

Sasuke was about to bait them more when he heard a disturbance behind him.

He turned to see Kakashi and Jin in the middle of a vicious argument with Iruka caught in the middle.

Konohamaru and his friends weren't making things easier as they kept yelling at Jin, saying that he should stay away from their Iruka-sensei.

Iruka was trying to put a stop to all of the chaos but his words fell onto deaf ears.

"Stay away from Iruka," Kakashi scowled, shooting Jin a warning look.

"I don't have to listen to you. Whether I see him is between us two. You have no part of this," Jin responded stubbornly, enjoying that he was getting a rise out of the Copy Nin.

His real intentions were clear in his eyes. He would hurt Iruka... all for the sake of his own revenge. Kakashi wouldn't let Iruka get dragged into the crossfire. He wouldn't lose another precious person.

Iruka recognized the intent in Kakashi's eye. "Kakashi, no!"

Kakashi lunged.

* * *

"The night had been going so well..." Ino groaned as Gaara and Minato escorted her and Sakura back to their homes. "That bastard Jin had to ruin everything."

"It's a good thing Jiraiya-sensei stopped Kakashi before he could kill Jin and create a huge diplomatic incident," Gaara mused. "Konoha can't really afford that."

"Poor Iruka-sensei though, he didn't look very happy at all when he'd left to take Konohamaru and his friends back," Sakura recalled the upset look on the Academy teacher's face.

"You wouldn't be either if someone nearly caused a war because of you," Minato pointed out.

"There's enough bad blood between Konoha and Iwa. We don't need anymore," Ino agreed.

"At least it will all be over tomorrow," Sakura said brightly. "Then they'll leave and things can go back to normal."

She didn't notice the looks exchanged between the trio. Whatever happened tomorrow, they doubted things would go back to the way things had been. Not entirely.

* * *

Sasuke was feeling more than a little smug. He had finally got what he had wanted out of Kakashi: the Chidori.

When the cyclopean Jounin had attempted to use the move against Jin, Sasuke had jumped on the chance to copy it with his Sharingan, and the most brilliant thing was, no one noticed!

This meant that the Chidori would become his ace in his hole. The one move no one would expect him to use. He would just have practice it firsttt.

If he worked at it through the night, he might just be able to use it to defeat Naruto's annoying bodyguard...

* * *

"You still have no luck with Naruto?" Gaara asked Minato when they arrived back at the apartment.

Minato nodded solemnly. He was really getting worried now.

'_Come on, Naruto... how long are you going to sleep?_'


	37. Last Minute Return

I'm sorry I took so long with the chapter. School is getting harder, leaving me with less time to write. Luckily, I got hit with a good bit of inspiration for this chapter that helped me out. I hope you like the chapter.

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Six: Last Minute Return

Minato opened his eyes the morning after the picnic, groaning as he realized he was still in control of the body.

"Still no success?" Gaara queried from where he was getting ready.

"None at all," Minato sighed. This was really beginning to scare him. At this rate, he really would be taking Naruto's place in the Finals. He felt like he was cheating his son and that didn't sit well with him.

"There's nothing we can really do but wait," Gaara said. It bothered him too that it was taking Naruto so long to recover from the synchronization attempt. He was beginning to miss his brother...

Minato nodded, eyes downcast. He had hoped more than anything that things would have returned to normal already.

"We should get ready. We'll be expected at the Stadium soon," Gaara advised and they set about getting ready.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to come alone?" Gaara asked Minato once they stepped outside of Naruto's apartment.

Minato nodded. "I need a little more time before I get there," he said. He wanted to stretch things out a little while longer, in the hopes that Naruto would finally pull through and come back.

"Okay," Gaara conceded, understanding his father's feelings. "I'll see you both soon."

Minato walked around the village, trying to mentally reach out to his slumbering son.

'_Come on, Naruto. You've never failed to be there when you were needed. Don't change that now..._' he pleaded, looking frustrated.

"He's still not back, is he?" a voice rang out and Minato looked up to see Shikamaru standing behind him.

Minato marveled over how distracted he must have been to have failed to sense the Genin nearby.

"Unfortunately, no," Minato sighed, shoulders sagging.

Shikamaru sighed and ran a hand down his face as he pondered the situation.

"Do you know what's keeping him from returning to consciousness?" Shikamaru queried.

"If I knew that, I wouldn't still be in control, now would I?" Minato countered. "All I know is that he should have awakened by now. Originally, it was thought that my chakra had ended up suppressing his but our chakra have leveled out now. I can feel that. Why he still won't come to the surface is beyond me."

"Maybe it's Naruto himself," Shikamaru mused. Minato gave him a curious look.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm saying perhaps the reason Naruto isn't waking up is because he doesn't want to," Shikamaru proposed

"Why would he do that?" Minato frowned. It most certainly didn't sound like his son to do something like that. Well... not before, anyways. Since Daichi had given his ultimatum, Naruto hadn't exactly been acting the same. He had been more distant... worried. Realization hit him. The emotional stress had got to Naruto and this situation had provided him with a nice little hiding spot to sort himself out. It wasn't something that Naruto generally did but he was still a child with far too much on his plate already. Minato could understand Naruto's feelings.

"It looks like you've realized what's wrong," Shikamaru assessed, raising an eyebrow.

"He's worried... and a little scared - for you, mostly. That Iwa nin got under his skin far better than I'd imagined."

Shikamaru's brow furrowed as he pondered over what Minato had told him.

"Is there any way I can talk to him?" he queried.

Minato hesitated. One certain way to allow Shikamaru to do that was to pull him into the mindscape but Minato wasn't ready to do that. He didn't want Shikamaru to learn about him or Kyuubi. It would be up to Naruto to share that if he wanted to.

"You can try. There's no guarantee that he'll hear you, though," Minato responded. He wouldn't let Shikamaru within the mindscape but if he pulled himself back in and left control up for grabs, Naruto could probably hear what Shikamaru had to say. At this point, he was willing to try pretty much anything.

He led Shikamaru to a safe area, hidden from the sight of most people before sitting down.

"I can only give you a few minutes. I won't leave this body vulnerable for longer than absolutely necessary."

Shikamaru nodded and watched as Naruto's body went limp. Kneeling in front of the blonde, he took a deep breath as he tried to put his thoughts into words.

"Look, Naruto, I know you're scared but you can't let Daichi's threat get to you. What happened to the Naruto I know? You would never let threat get to you. You would never let anyone bend your will. Why start now? If he's threatened your precious people, than fight to protect them. Giving in to his whims is not the way to go about things. Protect those precious to you... and I will protect you, I promise. I won't let Daichi hurt you anymore. I'll defeat him, I swear it. Just like you... I won't go back on my word," Shikamaru promised. "I care too much about you to just let you go. Please, Naruto, come back."

Leaning forward, he pressed a soft kiss against Naruto's lips, hoping that his words had reached the lively blonde.

Just as he was about to pull back, he felt arms wrap around his neck and pull him closer, making the kiss deepen.

Opening his eyes as he pulled back, he met with Naruto's sleepy eyes.

"Is it you this time?" he asked, hope shining in his eyes.

"It's me," Naruto agreed, smiling sweetly.

"Thank god for that. I think I'd die all over again if I ended up being the one kissed by your boyfriend," Minato drawled as he materialized in his transparent form. He stretched his body with a great deal of satisfaction. He had missed being normal sized.

'**I wouldn't allow that to happen, love. You're mine,**' Kyuubi declared possessively.

Minato just smiled indulgently. He had missed her too.

Shikamaru helped Naruto get back to his feet, supporting the wobbly Genin until he was able to stand comfortably.

"You're going to defeat Daichi?" Naruto repeated what Shikamaru had promised.

Shikamaru nodded. "I'll kick his ass. He's strong, yes, but I'll defeat him one way or another."

Naruto smiled. "I'll look forward to seeing that."

"We should probably get going. The Chuunin Exam Finals should be starting soon," Shikamaru reminded his object of affections.

"Oh, right," Naruto responded, recalling the situation. "We should get going..."

Shikamaru sighed. The stadium was on the other side of the village. "How are we going to get there on time?"

"Leave that to me" a voice called out and they looked to see Jiraiya standing there, a smirk on his face.

"Ero-Sennin!" Naruto greeted his godfather with a glomp.

Jiraiya chuckled and ruffled Naruto's hair. "Don't call me that, brat," he spoke without malice. In truth, he had kind of missed Naruto calling him that, but he would never let the Jinchuuriki know that. "Now let's get you guys to the Stadium."

* * *

In the Stadium, the new proctor, Shiranui Genma, was standing in the center of the Battle Arena alongside the contestants that had already arrived: Sakura, Chouji, Shino, Neji, the Sand Siblings, Michiru, and Daisuke.

"Shikamaru should be here already," Chouji mused, wondering where his best friend had gone. They had been walking together when Shikamaru had caught sight of Naruto. He had promised he would follow after Chouji soon before running off. He still hadn't arrived and Chouji was getting worried.

"Maybe that lazy ass got scared and decided to run away," Michiru sneered. "After all, there is no way in hell he can beat Daichi-kun."

"Shut up, bitch. There's no way that Shikamaru would do that. He's not a coward!" Ino yelled as she stormed over.

"You're not even supposed to be here, you pathetic little bimbo. You lost in the Preliminaries by your own amateur mistake," Michiru snapped back. "How else could this pink-haired hussy make it to the Finals?"

Sakura flushed in anger and embarrassment.

"I'm here to support my team, dumbass," Ino spat back, flushing in embarrassment. Yes, she had made a big mistake during the Preliminaries but she didn't necessarily regret it. She had gained a lot out of it. When Michiru insulted Sakura, Ino felt her anger grow. "Don't you dare insult my best friend,. Do it again and I'll kick your ass!"

Michiru scoffed, derisively. "Like you could."

She blinked and found Ino standing right in front of her, her eyes appearing red and slitted.

"_**Just watch me**_," Ino hissed with an oddly guttural voice and Michiru couldn't help but flinch in fear as she felt the potent Killing Intent pour off the blonde. What could have changed in the last month to make the blonde seem so threatening? That Sannin couldn't have been that good of a teacher, could he?

"That's enough, Ino," Sakura placed a hand on her friend's shoulder to appease her. She felt happy to see Ino defending her, it made her feel like things were as they once were between them but the time for other people defending her was over. This time, she would show everyone how strong she was. "I'll get her for the both of us during our match."

Ino's eyes changed back to blue before she turned to face Sakura. "Kick her ass."

She then turned to Gaara. "Good luck, Nii-san."

Temari and Kankurou exchanged looks at that. First Naruto found a place in Gaara's heart as a brother and now this girl too? They had understood that she was one of his teammates in the group Jiraiya had created but for them to have created their own little family? It seemed odd especially given that just a short while ago, Gaara had been as bloodthirsty as they came. He accepted no one as family and now he was building one. They were happy for him but it didn't make how he had changed any less shocking.

"Thank you... Imouto," Gaara responded, almost shyly. He had always been the youngest in the family. With his new extended family, it looked like that had changed.

"Where's Naruto?" Ino wondered. "Didn't he come with you?"

"He had said he wanted to take a walk," Gaara admitted.

"Sasuke-kun is not here either," Sakura said, worrying about the two members of her team. "Even Kakashi-sensei has already popped up and he's usually always late. Where could Sasuke-kun be if not with him?"

"Something tells me he wouldn't miss out on this even if it killed him. He'll be here," Ino reassured Sakura. "Don't worry."

"Your friends better get here soon. Uzumaki Naruto is taking part in the very first match. If he's not here soon, I'll be forced to disqualify him," Genma spoke up. He couldn't delay the matches forever just because a few Genin were late.

"Please, Naruto, get here soon..." Ino prayed.

Almost on cue, there was a large poof of smoke and once it was clear, loud exclamations of shock filled the air at the sight of the giant toad standing in the arena, towering over the young Chuunin-aspirants and the Tokubetsu Jounin.

"There's nothing to fear, Ino-chan, especially when the Great Jiraiya is here to save the day!" the exuberant white-haired Sannin declared proudly as he and two others leaped down from the top of the toad, who disappeared.

"Naruto! Shikamaru!" Ino exclaimed happily as she rushed over. She hugged them both before glomping her sensei. "Thank you!"

Jiraiya chuckled. "It's no problem, Ino-chan. I couldn't exactly leave them in the dirt, now could I? ... Especially when he's back."

Ino blinked before realization dawned on her. She turned to Naruto. "You mean..."

Naruto smiled, eyes twinkling.

Ino's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. She let out a loud squeal and tackled Naruto to the ground.

"I'm so happy!" she stated, peppering his face with kisses.

Naruto chuckled in amusement. "I can see that..."

Those who didn't know of Minato and Naruto's situation were completely lost on what was going on.

Naruto gazed over at Gaara, who gave him a small smile in acknowledgement before turning back to his godfather.

"Thanks for the ride, Ero-Sennin."

"Don't call me that, brat," Jiraiya said affectionately before turning to leave. He had preparations to make.

"If you're all done wasting our time, can we get down to business now?" Neji asked irritably.

Naruto raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you that eager to get your ass kicked, Hyuuga?"

Neji scoffed. "It's your fate to remain a loser, Uzumaki. Nothing is going to change that."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "We'll see about that."

Genma decided to interrupt the pissing contest before it could get any worse.

"Alright, all other contestants, please make your way to the viewing area so that the first battle can begin," the proctor instructed and soon, only he, Naruto, Neji and the invisible former Hokage remained in the battle arena.

* * *

"I half expected you to come here late," Jiraiya commented as he joined Kakashi.

"I wouldn't dare miss Naruto's match," Kakashi responded, eyes trained on the battle field. "I look forward to seeing what you've taught him, Jiraiya-sama."

"He's grown a lot in this last month... all three of them did," Jiraiya spoke with pride.

"I'm sure they have. I would have never imagined you would have built up an entirely new team with him and got them to work so well together. Now if only I could get my team to mesh so well. Sakura-chan is beginning to pull through at long last but I fear Naruto's progress and Sasuke's never diminishing arrogance are creating a far too large rift to allow Sasuke to allow himself to work well with his peers," Kakashi sighed.

"He has too much pride in himself as an Uchiha," Jiraiya mused from what he had observed. "It won't let him treat his teammates as equals, no matter how much they improve. He will always see himself as above them."

'Then I will just have to destroy that pride so he can rebuild it for the right reasons rather than what he considers a God-given right," Kakashi decided.

"Good luck," Jiraiya commented. "I have a feeling you will need it."

* * *

Naruto and Neji glared at each other hatefully, waiting for the sign for the battle to begin.

"You might as well give up, Uzumaki. There is no way you can win," Neji declared, eyeing Naruto closely. He could detect no uncertainty within Naruto's body language. The blonde really believed he could defeat the Hyuuga. He scoffed. How ridiculous.

"Shut your trap," Naruto scowled. "I'm going to make you regret what you did to Hinata-chan. I made a promise and I never go back on my word."

Neji just rolled his eyes. He didn't believe that Naruto stood a ghost of a chance against him, no matter how confident the blonde was. He would be the one to show him that he couldn't deny Fate.

"Fate will never get the better of us," Minato voiced his thoughts as he materialized behind his son, eyes narrowed into chips of ice. He could see a bigger meaning behind this battle than just an attempt to become a Chuunin. This was his and Naruto's chance to show the stubborn Goddess that they forged their own path and wouldn't be cowed by her will.

"Damn straight," Naruto agreed with a resolute nod.

"Who are you talking to?" Neji frowned. "Don't tell me that you're talking to that imaginary friend of yours. Your supposed 'guardian angel'... ha. There is no such thing. You're even delusional enough to view him as your own father. I'll be sure to knock some sense into you," Neji assured Naruto, as if he was doing him a big favor.

Naruto's eyes narrowed, not appreciating the words coming out of Neji's mouth at all. "On the contrary, Hyuuga, it will be me who knocks sense into _you_. I will show you that Fate is no more than a cold hearted bitch that you're better off without."

"We'll see," Neji scowled.

"So we shall," Minato and Naruto chorused as Genma finally gave the signal for the start of the battle.


	38. Fated Battle

A/N: Here's another chapter for all of you to enjoy. Hope you enjoy it.

This is the first time I used Dragon Dictation to type up my chapter. I believe I caught most mistakes but I might have missed a few.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. Never have. Never will.

* * *

Chapter 37: Fated Battle

As the battle between the Neji and Naruto began, the Jinchuuriki was preparing to lunch at Neji when his father's next words made him pause.

'_Before you get started on beating up the Hyuuga as promised, I have a surprise for you,_' Minato stated.

Naruto frowned in confusion. Was this really any time to give him a surprise?

'_I would have given it to you earlier if you only woken up faster,_' Minato explained. '_I want __**everyone**__ to see this. On the inner side of your jacket you'll find a seal. It's created an undetectable Henge. Remove it._'

'All right,' Naruto agreed with the nonchalant shrug.

"Is there a reason you're just standing there like an idiot?" Neji queried. He had tried to take advantage of Naruto's distraction only to get repelled by the wind.

Naruto smirked "We'll just have to see won't we?"he responded. He lunged forward and at the same time, he removed the seal.

He was immediately enveloped in a large puff of smoke, obscuring Neji's vision and allowing Naruto to man a powerful sucker punch to the pretty boy's face.

However, it wasn't that the Dead Last of Konohahad managed to hit one of Konoha's great geniuses that shocked the crowd… it was his clothing.

Naruto's look had completely changed.

Gone was the horrible orange jumpsuit. Instead, Naruto wore standard black shinobi pants with one sharp distinction: the base of the pants were decorated with red flames. He also wore a sleeveless black shirt with the Uzumaki swirl on the back. Coming from the symbol were nine orange streaks that spiraled around. Even his hitai-ite was different. The band was now long and black with the tails dangling below towards Naruto's neck.

The inference is quite clear.

* * *

'_Bold move, Naruto,_' the Sandaime thought with a shake of his head. Naruto's clothes both represented the Yondaime Hokage and the Kyuubi. Just what was he thinking? The Hokage had fought so hard to ensure that Naruto could have as normal a life as he could, was Naruto really going to risk all that?

"What an interesting boy…" the Kazekage mused beside him. To emulate both Konoha's greatest Savior and Konoha's worst nightmare together in such a way, he is either very brave or very foolish."

Sarutobi was beginning to wonder that as well but he also had faith in Naruto. The boy would it take such a risk blindly. It was only a stroke of luck, however, that the Tsuchikage had not been able to make it to see the Exams…

* * *

Shikamaru's eyes nearly bugged out as he took in the sight of Naruto in his new outfit.

Without the baggy jumpsuit in the way, Naruto's developing physiquewas easily noticeable, much to the appreciation of Naruto's growing number of admirers.

"I knew we picked out of the outfit," Sakura commented, amused to see how much Shikamaru was enjoying Naruto's new look.

Shikamaru turned to look at Sakura with raised eyebrows. "You played a part in this?"

Sakura nodded. "Ino-chan and Gaara-kun did too."

"You did a good job," Shikamaru complimented "I have a feeling that Naruto's not going to win any friends with what his clothes infer though."

"While I'm not certain exactly widen these designs mean so much to him, I think Naruto mentioned he wanted to prove to everyone that he wasn't ashamed of who he was. He says he wants to prove to everyone that he's a lot more than they think he is," Sakura explained.

"Is that so?" Shikamaru queried as a proud smile appeared on his face. "He just might achieve that."

Daichi scoffed from where he was observing the battle. From this standpoint, the message Naruto was making was entirely different.

Naruto was telling him that no matter how much Daichi threatened him, he wouldn't break and bend to his will. He'd keep on fighting.

Oddly enough, Daichi wanted to see that…

* * *

Kankurou and Temari were gawking as they came across another realization.

They already knew about Kyuubi, so with that knowledge, the flames were no mystery to them.

They turned to Gaara.

"He's…" Temari began but Gaara raised a hand to silence her before nodding.

Kankurou swore. "Holy hell, that Hyuuga kid doesn't stand a chance."

* * *

"This is sensei's doing, isn't it?" Kakashi whispered to Jiraiya. The Sannin nodded.

"With some feminine assistance, of course," Jiraiya smiled. "Gaara and I were there simply for moral support."

Kakashi laughed. "This isn't going to get him a lot of attention, both good and bad.I hope he's ready for the storm that comes with it."

Jiraiya smirked. "I'm sure they will be."

* * *

Naruto took a second to look over his new clothes and fascination.

' _Does this mean I can ditch the façade?_' Naruto query before amending the statement. '_Well… What's left of it, anyways._'

Minato nodded. '_I was waiting for you to awaken for everybody to bear witness to this. After all, this is your moment to shine. You are more than Kyuubi's Jinchuuriki and more than just my son. It's time people see that for themselves. Now make me proud._'

Naruto smirked, almost ferally, feeding off of the pride pouring off of his father.

It was time to show everyone just to Uzumaki Naruto was.

"_Kai_," he whispered as he released the gravity seal holding him down. He had a feeling he would need all of the speed he could get against Neji. He was confident in his ability to come out victorious but it wasn't going to be easy.

Neji burst forward, aiming to close Naruto's Tenketsu points and put an end to this farce of a battle as quickly as possible. He had better things to do than to humor the delusions of a fated loser. He wasn't able to get in range, however, as Naruto phased out of the way.

"Your Juuken is certainly a deadly tool but it doesn't do you any good against an opponent you cannot touch," Naruto whispered in Neji's ear from behind.

Neji nearly jumped and struck out behind him only to hit air.

'_He's gotten a lot faster in this last month,_' Neji realized with a scowl. This would be far more frustrating than he'd originally imagined.

* * *

For those who are watching and those who were old enough to remember, the scene in front of them was far too familiar.

A Hyuuga viciously attacking a tiny blonde using full force only to meet thin air time and time again.

The last time they had borne witness to this was over twenty years ago when Namikaze Minato battled Hyuuga Hiashi during their own Chuunin exam. He had fought with the same determination as Naruto to avenge a certain redhead Uzumaki, who had suffered a humiliating loss at Hiashi's hands only a few hours before.

Witnessing the past repeating itself made many spectators start to doubt their choices in the betting pool. If things progress the way they had before, no matter how talented he the Neji was, he would fall against the unrelenting force of Naruto's attacks.

Shikaku observed all of this with great amusement. It was barely five minutes into the battle and Naruto was already making waves in the crowd. He did his name proud.

"He's… Just like them," he mused to himself. "They'd be proud."

* * *

Neji was getting angrier by the second as he kept failing and laying even a finger on Naruto.

"Stop trying to make a fool of me!" Neji exclaimed irately.

"I think you're succeeding in doing that all on your own," Naruto pointed out, voice filled with mirth before his eyes turned to ice. "I will make you pay for every drop of Hinata's blood you spilled. You had no right or reason to hurt her or hate her."

"I have every reason to hate her!" Neji yelled, was filled with hate. "Her and the rest of the Main Branch of the Hyuuga. It's because of them that we - the Side Branch of the Hyuuga - are forced to bear this horrid seal on our foreheads. We are made beneath him and forced into their servitude. How can I _not_ hate them? More than that, it's because of them that my father is dead!"

Naruto just stared at Neji, no shock in his eyes, only pity. Not for his loss, but for his way of thinking.

"Hinata-chan is guiltless in all of this. It's wrong to blame her for this. She aims to remedy all of the problems within the Hyuuga, including the Caged Bird Seal once she becomes the Head of the clan."

Neji let out a loud, derisive laugh. "She'll never be the Clan Head. She's too weak. She can defy her fate, and neither can you. Who are you to tell me that it's wrong to feel how I feel? You have no idea what it's like to bear such a burdensome seal upon your body."

Naruto's eyes fell dead. "But… is where you are wrong."

It was then that the blonde finally took the offense, going at Neji with wind claws.

Now, it was Naruto's turn to be surprised.

"_Kaiten_!" Neji cried as he began to turn in rapid circles, creating a powerful chakra force field.

Naruto's wind claws grinded against the force field but were incapable of piercing through it.

Naruto leaped back, cradling his injured right hand to his chest.

'**Let me help you with that,**' Kyuubi declared as she used her chakra to heal the injury. She knew that with the impending invasion, Naruto would need to be in top shape to deal with it.

'_Thanks,_' Naruto responded. '_I thought only the main branch could use the Kaiten._'

'It looks like he strives to push himself beyond the limits of a normal Side Branch member,' Minato commented.

Naruto couldn't help but chuckle.

"What's so funny?" Neji frowned when he stopped his Kaiten.

"For someone who claims he can't defy your fate, you sure fight against a lot," Naruto pointed out.

"What are you going on about?" the Hyuuga frowned.

"You claim that your helpless against your fate, that you're stuck as a mere Branch member but then you go learn a move meant for the Main Branch _and_ act the way you do towards Hinata-chan. If you are truly subservient to your fate, you would be so antagonistic. You wouldn't work so hard to prove your own worth," Naruto pointed out.

"You don't know anything about me, Uzumaki. Don't you dare assume anything," an incensed Neji snarled and he attacked again. "You're in range! _Hakke Rokujuuyon Sho_!"

To to the naked eye, it appeared as if Neji's attacks had all hit but to those with the Byakugan and those within Naurot and Minato's fold, they saw things differently.

Neji saw spurts of golden chakra shield Naruto's Tenketsu points the same pace as his strikes.

To Kakashi and the others, they saw Minato blocking the blows.

"I see Naruto no longer has any problem with utilizing _his_ power," Kakashi mused.

"_He_ was put into Naruto for a reason. Not utilizing his power would be stupid," Jiraiya whispered back. "Those two are no longer completely separate individuals. It is time they learn how to use the situation to their fullest advantage."

"I suppose that's true," the Copy Nin conceded the point.

* * *

"How is this possible?" Neji frowned, not sure whether or not he could believe what he'd seen. Did Naruto really have a guardian angel?

Naruto didn't respond for a moment before he finally spoke: "Playtime is over. Let's finish this, Neji."

'_We'll crush all of his thoughts about fate,_' Minato agreed as he began to model Naruto's movements as had become natural in the last month. '_Are you sure you want to do this again, Naruto?_'

Minato was wary of the synchronization technique, given what had happened before.

'_Trust me, Tou-san… This will work. This time… I have nothing holding me_ _back_,' Naruto's voice was brimming with certainty.

Minato chuckled. He should never have doubted his son. '_Then let's do this…_'

As Neji had his Byakugan activated, he witnessed the odd activity in Naruto's chakra coils.

He watched with complete disbelief as an odd golden energy began to intermix with Naruto's blue chakra until the two chakras were so meshed together Neji could no longer be sure where one ended and the other began.

Hearing the gasps of surprise, Neji tuned out of the Byakugan. His eyes widened at the sight of his opponent.

"What did you do?" He couldn't help but ask.

Naruto looked older, but few years at least. All of the remaining babies that had vanished and his features had sharpened, giving Neji a glimpse of the man Naruto would one day become.

Naruto looked initially with his now gold rimmed eyes. "I don't have time to tell you," he answered before he vanished from Neji's sight.

Neji frantically tried to cut side of when narco was but not even his Byakugan could keep up with the blonde's speed.

He stumbled forward as he took a hard blow to the back and then another to the front.

The blows kept on coming from every direction until Neji stumbled into the center of the battle arena where a series of seals activated, creating a large flash which blinded Neji right before he took a major hit to the chin. He skidded on the ground. When he finally came to a stop, Neji didn't get up.

Genma waited the allotted period of time before raising a hand up into the air.

"Winner: Uzumaki Naruto," he called out.

The entire arena was silent for a few moments before they all broke into applause.

Naruto couldn't help but smile, glad to finally received the acknowledgment he'd worked so hard to achieve.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at Genma curiously.

"You did good kid," the proctor complimented.

Naruto smiled at the man, pleased with acknowledgment.

"Thanks," he responded before his expression hardened as he approached Neji.

"I told you before, Neji, fate determines nothing. You control your own life. Nobody's path is set in stone, it is forged by the choices you make. You're not a bad guy, Neji, but you need to let go of all your rage and hatred. It will bring you nothing but pain. You make your own destiny, fate be damned. That's what I've been doing and it's worked pretty well so far."

Neji stared up into Naruto's eyes, looking puzzled. "You should hate me for what I've done to Hinata-sama, yet you give me advice on the hopes that I will better myself. Why?"

Naruto smiled. "It's not in me to hate anyone," he replied. "Besides, you got a lot of potential. I'd hate to see it lost. Konoha will need shinobi like you in the future."

"You are in an enigma, Uzumaki Naruto."

Naruto grinned and winked. "So I've been told. Thanks for an awesome battle, Neji, perhaps we can have rematch one day."

"I'd like that…"

"It looks like Naruto did it again," Shikamaru mused to Chouji.

"He seems to have a knack for winning over the hearts of people who were technically enemies," the larger Genin agreed. "It's like some sort of superpower."

Daichi scoffed. He doubted that. He wouldn't let this "superpower" influence him. Uzumaki – no, _Namikaze_ – Naruto was the enemy in that was what he would always be.

* * *

"No!" Fate shrieked in rage as she observed how her champion fell against the blasted Jinchuuriki. Neji was meant to win and to crush Naruto's spirit so that he would fall under her control once more. Naruto wasn't meant to defeat him.

The Namikaze duo were getting dangerous. At this rate, all of her designs would be utterly obliterated. Naruto even managed to make Neji turn away from her, something that she had never expected to happen.

"You should give up, Fate. You will not succeed," the Shinigami entered her premises once more.

Fate glared. "That will never happen," she hissed. "I'll get the upper hand one day, you'll see."

The Shinigami sighed. Fate could never stand being wrong. He only hoped she would learn to back down sooner than later.


	39. Sakura's Determination

A/N: I'm back with another chapter. I'm sorry it took so long. It took me a while to figure out how this chapter would go, especially with Sakura's battle. It wasn't easy. The chapter ended up being longer than I thought it was. I thought it was going to be short but it's pretty decent sized so I hope you guys enjoy!

I would also like to apologize for the many errors in the last chapter. It looks like it's a little trickier to pick out mistakes produced by Dragon than I thought.

**Awesome foursome: **I didn't specify about Minato wearing clothes, I admit. I was kind of leaving it to people's imagination. I would say he's not, though… Makes Madara even creepier.

**Lady Laran:** I think you're going to enjoy the battles that take place during the invasion. Iruka'll get his time to shine.

**Bijuu lord:** Since I got into medical school, updating has gotten a little harder, especially with boards coming up. I'll try my best to update as often as I can, though.

**Spyrkle10**: *blinks* I hadn't thought of adding others in aside from the Shinigami and Fate. That's an interesting thought though…

**Jaylynn5:** Minato having two heart attacks because his sons finding love interests… that's kind of hilarious. Now if Ino found somebody as well… *evil grin*

**Lil Miss Morningstar**: I'm sorry about the typos. Dragon bit me in the butt. I'm going to be more careful with it now.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Sakura's Determination

Sarutobi watched Naruto proudly as the boy reveled in the well-deserved admiration he was receiving at the hands of the audience.

The young Jinchuuriki was finally receiving the acknowledgment he fought for. He could only imagine how Naruto must feel.

He couldn't say he was surprised that Naruto had defeated Neji. He knew he was more than capable to do that. It was _how _he had done it that surprised the aged Hokage.

Twice now, Naruto had demonstrated an unknown power in front of him. He had hoped Naruto would have shed light on it after the Preliminaries, but the boy had made no mention of it.

They were going to have to talk about it after the Exams…

The power felt familiar and yet, it wasn't Kyuubi's chakra he had sensed. Oddly enough, it had felt like Minato, but that was impossible, wasn't it?

* * *

Orochimaru was more than a little pissed as he observed the battle from under the guise of the Kazekage.

He had not expected Naruto to have grown so strong in such a short time.

Uzumaki Naruto was supposed to be an idiotic weakling that was no match in comparison to Orochimaru's desired vessel: Sasuke. The way things were going, Naruto may just leave Sasuke in his dust.

Was the knowledge of his heritage really that big of a motivation to have produced such a drastic growth in Konoha's Jinchuuriki?

If it wasn't for the fact that the Kyuubi would prevent him from possessing Naruto, Orochimaru may have been tempted to take Naruto as a vessel himself.

On the other hand, Orochimaru didn't necessarily need to possess Naruto to gain his power. He would find another way to do so. Wouldn't that bastard Namikaze roll in his grave if he knew what Orochimaru had planned for his beloved offspring?

* * *

Minato felt a chill run down his back as a wave of unease overcame him.

'_What's wrong, Tou-san?_' Naruto queried in concern.

'It's nothing, Naruto… Just a feeling,' Minato reassured him as they ascended to the viewing box where all of the contestants were waiting.

As they finally arrived, Sakura glomped Naruto, excitement shining in her eyes.

"You were amazing, Naruto! The moment I think I had you pegged, you go and do something else that throws me completely off! If only Sasuke-kun was here to see your triumph!" she exclaimed.

'_I don't think he would have liked that very much…_' Naruto thought to himself, knowing how competitive Sasuke was. "It's his loss, Sakura-chan. I'll just have to show him how awesome I am another time."

"I suppose so," Sakura sighed before looking around in worry. "Where is Sasuke-kun anyways? She should be here already… His fight is next."

"I'm sure he'll be here soon," Naruto said reassuringly. "It's not like him to miss something as important like this. He wouldn't miss the chance to go up against Gaara."

"He'll have to get here soon, otherwise he'll be disqualified," Shikamaru pointed out, glancing at the time. "I doubt he'll be given much leeway for his tardiness… Then again, this is the Uchiha we're talking about. Who knows what kind of concessions he'll receive?"

"Uchiha brat seems to be favored to an excessive degree. I swear this village would even let him get away with murder," Daichi grumbled, piercing eyes observing Shikamaru and Naruto. He hadn't liked how they came to the Exams together. Naruto was supposed stay away from the Nara. "I see you haven't been heeding my warning, Uzumaki."

Shikamaru glowered at Daichi, not liking how he was trying to bend Naruto to his will.

"Naruto doesn't have to do anything he doesn't want to," he asserted, standing in front of the petite blonde protectively. He knew not to was more than capable of defending himself as his amazing battle with Neji had demonstrated, but he would still do everything in his power to keep the blonde safe.

Naruto shouldn't have to deal with all of this alone.

Daichi's eyes narrowed as Shikamaru countered him. "I'm going to look forward to crushing you during our fight. I'll make you regret ever pursuing Uzumaki," he promised.

"You can try," Shikamaru reported evenly. "You will never succeed."

"We'll see about that," Daichi hissed.

"All of this mess because of a blonde brat. It's too much trouble to me. He's hardly worth it," Michiru scoffed.

"That's what you think," Sakura declared. She was growing tired of Michiru insulting her friends. First Lee, now Naruto. She couldn't wait to kick her ass…

At that time, Gaara, Temari and Kankurou approached Naruto.

"You did well out there, kid," Kankurou complimented Naruto. "You certainly defy all expectations."

"Thanks, I try," Naruto smiled.

"I had my reservations at first when Gaara began to grow attached to you but I was wrong. You've been the best thing that has ever happened to him. I want to thank you for that," Temari declared.

"Don't mention it. I couldn't just ignore him. He's my kin," Naruto replied before looking pensive. "Now that I think about it, wouldn't that indirectly make you family as well?"

Kankurou and Temari glanced at each other in surprise. He was accepting them into his fold too?

Seeing how Naruto had influenced those around him, they couldn't help being drawn in.

"We'd like that," they admitted with a smile.

'Two more?' Minato blinked. His brood just continued to grow, didn't it?

"Just how many people are you going to make family, Naruto?" Shikamaru wondered, secretly jealous. Naruto seemed to accept so many other people but kept him at a relative distance. Hadn't he proved that he could be trusted?

He sighed. He would just have to be patient. Naruto would come to him on his own time. Shikamaru wasn't going to push him. He wanted Naruto to tell him because he wanted to, not because he was forced to.

Naruto was worth the wait.

* * *

"I knew they worked well together but this is ridiculous," Kakashi whispered to Jiraiya as he recalled the way Naruto and Minato had synchronized during the battle.

Jiraiya smirked. "They are just full of surprises, aren't they?"

"You don't say," Kakashi remarked. "It's a pity Iruka wasn't here to see it. He would have been proud of him."

"I'm sure he would have been," Jiraiya agreed. Glancing up at the viewing box there all of the Chuunin candidates stood, he looked a little confused. "Where's the Uchiha?"

Kakashi shrugged. "I don't know. I left him to his own devices after yesterday. At this rate, he'll forfeit his chance of becoming a Chuunin at all. I thought for sure he would be here."

"You don't think Orochimaru got him, do you?" Jiraiya mused.

Kakashi's expression turned grave. "Let's hope not."

* * *

Sarutobi frowned as it became clear that the Uchiha was nowhere in sight. ANBU was looking all over for the boy but they have yet to find him.

Raidou, his personal guard, leaned forward to whisper in his ear. "There are still no sign of Uchiha Sasuke. The crowd is beginning to grow restless. At this rate, he will have to be disqualified. For being so late, he's showing that he does not have the qualities of the Chuunin."

Sarutobi sighed. He knew the audience would be displeased if that were the case. Most of the people in attendance had come with the intention to watch the battle between Konoha's Uchiha Sasuke and Suna's Gaara. Disqualifying Sasuke would lead to a great uproar.

"If I may, Hokage-sama, I would request that you push back the battle until everyone else's. Many people are looking forward to this battle. It would be a great pity to let them all down," Orochimaru persuaded his old sensei.

Sarutobi nodded. Many people wish to observe the battle. He would postpone the battle and give Sasuke chance but it would cost the boy. "I will do as you suggest, Kazekage-sama, however I cannot do it without consequences. The battle may go on but Sasuke will lose any chance of becoming a Chuunin in this particular Exam," he declared.

Orochimaru satisfied at this. His plans revolved around the battle between Sasuke and Gaara. It mattered not to him whether or not Sasuke became a Chuunin. If things were to go his way – and they_ would_ – Sasuke would not be there long enough for the promotion to matter.

"Fair enough," he agreed. "We should start the next match, shouldn't we?"

Sarutobi turned to Raidou. "Alert Genma to the changes," he ordered.

Raidou nodded and quickly did as he was told.

Genma rolled his eyes at the concession that the spoiled Uchiha received. If it was any other contestant, they would have been disqualified. Nevertheless, he addressed the audience to alert them of the Hokage's decision.

"The battle between Uchiha Sasuke and Gaara will be postponed until after all of the remaining matches. We are moving to the next match. Would Aburame Shino and Kankurou please come down to the arena?" Genma called out.

* * *

Kankurou scowled. Sasuke was supposed to have been there. That battle was then the plan was supposed to take place. Kankurou and Temari were supposed to have the chance to fight their opponents. They wanted to save their chakra.

Not that they were going to follow the plan as Baki expected them to. Gaara had told them that they would not work against Konoha. The invasion was wrong and had no benefit for Suna. They were just pawns for Orochimaru to get his revenge on the village.

Therefore, Temari and Kankurou would do their best to work against the Sound ninja to protect Konoha while trying to minimize the participation of the Suna nin.

They were the children of the Kazekage. They had a certain amount a say in the military plans of their village, Genin or not.

Kankurou knew this would not be easy. He wanted to save his chakra for the invasion. He had no intention of fighting in the Exam. He had known from the very beginning that they would not get the chance to really have a try at becoming Chuunin bring this particular Exam.

He glanced at Gaara, Temari and even Naruto, who he knew was aware of the invasion, before making his final decision.

He raised a hand and called out to the proctor.

"I forfeit the match," he spoke resolutely.

The audience broke out into a cacophony of annoyed jeering and complaints.

They had come to be entertained. First the long awaited Uchiha was MIA and now the next match was lost by forfeit? This was such a waste of time!

Genma raised an eyebrow at Kankurou's declaration but he wasn't going to question the boy's decision.

"Very well. Winner by forfeit: Aburame Shino," he declared. "Would the next contestants please come down for their match?"

"You're up, Sakura-chan," Naruto turned to his teammate, who looked kind of nervous. "Good luck."

"Thanks," Sakura responded, trying to get rid of the lump that seemed to have lodged in her throat. Now that her battle had so suddenly come upon her, she was beginning to feel a little overwhelmed. She had worked so hard to remedy her own weakness this last month and yet, she didn't feel like she would be able to match up against the fearsome Michiru. The thought of disappointing her teammates unsettled her.

Naruto could see how uneasy she was. He couldn't blame her. Sakura had always been insecure about herself. She was doing her best to improve herself but it would take a while for the girl to believe it herself. He would try to help build up her confidence the same way he had helped Hinata.

"You can do this, Sakura-chan. You've been working hard. Don't start doubting yourself now," he told her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "If a dobe can beat last year's Rookie of the Year, imagine what the Top Kunoichi of our year can accomplish?"

Sakura looked at Naruto, a grateful look in her eyes. She could always count on him to say the right thing to raise her spirits. Why had she taken so long to see Naruto's true worth? She had been looking at the world through Uchiha-tinted glasses for so long that she had almost missed seeing Naruto for the great friend he was turning out to be. '_I've got a lot to make up for,_' she thought to herself. She would make up for the years of being a bitch to Naruto… somehow.

"I won't doubt myself," she promised. "I'll do my best to make you, Sasuke-kun and Kakashi-sensei proud."

"Enough of the mush, come on Pinkie, it's time for our fight. I'm telling you upfront… you're going to lose," Michiru declared, glowering at the poor excuse of a kunoichi in front of her.

Sakura didn't let the hostile Iwa nin intimidate her. She met Michiru's eyes with determination. "I guess we'll find out soon enough," she responded as they headed off to the battle arena.

"Sakura is going to have to be careful," Shikamaru remarked. "While I'm certain she's grown in strength since the Preliminaries, we know nothing about Michiru. Her strengths and weaknesses are a complete mystery."

"Neither do we know just how Sakura has grown as a kunoichi. I'm sure this battle will be a surprise for all of us," Naruto remarked.

* * *

The battle started out without giving Sakura even a moment to think up a strategy.

It appeared Michiru wanted to get the battle done with quickly. She was going straight for the kill.

"_Doton: Dochubaku_!" the Iwa nin yelled, causing a landslide of earth to suddenly come towards Sakura.

Eyes widening in shock, Sakura managed to dodge the attack, but only just.

She hadn't thought Michiru would begin pulling off such large scale attacks from the get go.

She should have figured it out from Michiru's aggressive nature. Fighting like this certainly suited her.

That made things difficult for Sakura, however. All she could do at the moment was dodge Michiru's attacks and with her stamina, she wouldn't be able to last very long doing that.

She had to make Michiru stop using her jutsu. The girl wasn't even trying to conserve her chakra. Michiru was that certain that she could defeat Sakura in little time.

With the powerful jutsus that the Iwa nin was dishing out one after another, Sakura almost believed that Michiru could.

Then she remembered Naruto's words. She couldn't just give up without making an effort. She would find a way around Michiru's unstopping onslaught of attacks.

She could use her Genjutsu abilities but she would need to force Michiru to falter in her attacks first.

"Come on, Pinkie, don't tell me you're going to run all day!" Michiru scowled. "I always knew you were a coward… just like that bastard teammate of yours, Sasuke. I bet he chose not to come because he's too scared to go up against that freak Suna nin. Everyone on your team is pathetic… you, the Uchiha, Blondie, and even that lazy sensei of yours. You are worth nothing… I'll show everyone that!"

Anger flared within Sakura. She was seriously having enough of Michiru badmouthing those that she cared about. She wouldn't let Michiru get away with calling Sasuke a coward or calling Team Seven pathetic. She would prove her wrong.

Letting out a battle cry, she surprised Michiru by rushing at her head on, her determination and anger helping spur her movements onwards. Kurenai hadn't only helped her with Genjutsu, after all. Fighting with and alongside Kiba had helped her build up some agility as well and it came in handy with dealing with Michiru's offense.

Sakura found an opening as she grew close to the Iwa nin, preparing her attack.

"Shannaro!" she yelled as she punched Michiru with all of the strength she could muster, causing the Iwa nin to fly back.

* * *

Naruto almost felt a flash of sympathy towards Michiru. He knew Sakura's hits hurt… through seeing the other victims of her punches. Nowadays, he was too fast for her to hit him but before Minato never let her lay a hit on him.

"With the proper training, she could probably become another Tsunade," Shikamaru mused.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Naruto agreed.

Daichi scoffed. There was no way the weak pink-haired girl could ever match up to one of the Sannin. He may hate all of the shinobi that had come out of Konoha but even he had to admit the Sannin were some of the most powerful shinobi present. The Namikaze and his cowardly boyfriend were delusional.

* * *

'_Now_!' Sakura thought to herself as she found her opening.

Forming the snake hand sign, Sakura prepared one of the Genjutsu techniques Kurenai had taught her.

"_Magen: Hanagasumi_."

Michiru blinked as she found herself in the middle of a large pink flower before the petals suddenly closed up on her.

"Let me out!" she yelled, feeling rather clausterphobic in the dark space.

Seconds later, she was engulfed in an explosion.

While the flower had been an illusion, the explosion was very real and she was sent skidding across the floor painfully, adding painful abrasions to the new burns that marred her skin.

Now Michiru was angry. She had underestimated Sakura.

"You're going to pay for that bitch," she spat once she managed to climb back onto her feet. Her body hurt all over. Who knew the pink bitch could pull off such an effective offensive maneuver?

She had underestimated her… but no longer. The Pinkie was going to get what was coming for her.

"_Doton: Dosekiryuu!_" she yelled, and a gigantic earth dragon shot out at Sakura at break neck speed.

The girl who was already exhausted from all of her running and her current chakra use wasn't able to get out of the way in time.

Sakura screamed in pain as the devastating attack struck her, bruising her from the front and then from the back as she impacted the stadium wall with enough force to make it crack.

"Sakura-chan!" she heard Naruto yell from above, sounding worried for her.

Michiru sneered as she approached the fallen Konoha kunoichi. "You may have had a few decent tricks up your sleeve but you've got to do a lot better than that to beat me. You're nothing more than a second rate kunoichi with no chance of becoming a Chuunin."

Sakura glared at Michiru from where she lay, trying to get the strength to get back onto her feet. She hurt so badly. How could she be put down so easily? She thought she'd gotten stronger. She was proving nothing… She was weak.

"Don't listen to her, Sakura-chan! She has no idea what she's talking about. You're a lot stronger than you look. Don't let her get away with the last laugh!" Naruto called out to her in encouragement.

Michiru glanced up at where Naruto was. The blonde brat certainly didn't know when to keep his mouth shut. Son of the Yondaime Hokage or not, he was no where near as smart. She was going to be happy when Daichi finally silenced the little shit up for good.

"Don't worry, Pinkie. I'll finish this up nice and fast. I'll take you down and Daichi will take care of that stupid blonde. We'll show you that your beloved Team Seven is worth nothing," Michiru promised, a sadistic gleam in her eye.

"Shut up…" Sakura scowled, anger providing her with a second wind as she forced herself back onto her feet. "I've had enough of your bullshit. Let's finish this."

Michiru looked amused. Did the girl honestly think she stood a chance against her? "I agree with you. Let's end this."

Sakura let out a loud battle cry and lunged at Michiru, engaging the girl in a Taijutsu match to prevent her from being able to cast any jutsu.

* * *

"Sakura's really trying hard," Kiba remarked from the stands, where he sat with Hinata.

"She trained long and hard this last month," Hinata commented. "She's fighting to prove herself. She won't give up so easily anymore."

"It looks like Naruto's begun to rub off on her," Kiba mused with a smirk as he pet both Akamaru and Sakuya who were staying with the two of them.

Naruto had requested for them to watch out for his little fox kit because he didn't want to use her in the Finals, especially against Neji. Sakuya still needed more training before he would feel comfortable using her in the more intense battles.

"Naruto has a way of inspiring the best in people," Hinata commented with a soft smile. He'd certainly helped her out a lot..

"I'm beginning to see that," Kiba agreed. Without his jealousy to blind him anymore, he was beginning to see what Naruto's real power was and it wasn't his guardian angel. It was his ability to influence the people around him and bring out the best in those he chose to believe in. "Now if only that bastard Uchiha gave into Naruto's power and stopped acting like such a dick…"

"Kiba-kun, that wasn't very nice!" Hinata reprimanded him.

"You know it's true, Hinata-chan," Kiba responded. "He needs to get knocked down a peg or two."

Hinata couldn't exactly argue that point. Sasuke wasn't developing into the type of shinobi any of them would trust working alongside. He didn't seem to care for anything but obtaining the power to get his revenge, no matter who he walked over to get it.

* * *

"Do your best, Sakura-san!" Lee called out from the stands. He had healed well from his battle with Gaara. Watching everybody battle was causing his Flames of Youth to burn even brighter.

First Naruto had defeated his greatest rival so spectacularly and now his beloved Sakura was fighting hard to prove herself as a capable kunoichi. If only he had made it to the Finals…

He shook his head. There would be other chances after this one. He was just glad that he had gotten the chance to meet so many brilliant shinobi. When these Exams were over, he would definitely seek them out for spars. He couldn't wait!

For now, he would continue to encourage the beautiful kunoichi fighting in the Arena to do her very best.

* * *

"When are you going ot learn to quit, bitch?" Michiru scowled as she exchanged vicious blows with Sakura. She was growing tired of this farce of a battle. She should have won by now.

"I'll never give up…" Sakura responded stubbornly. As long as she was still standing, she would continue to fight. She wasn't going to be weak anymore.

"You're so annoying," Michiru spat. She wanted to end the battle quickly but Sakura wasn't letting her form the seals for her jutsu. It looked like she would have to beat Sakura down with fists alone… while avoiding Sakura's. The pink-haired girl had an insanely strong punch. The last one had almost knocked her silly.

'_I have to find an opening soon,_' Sakura thought to herself. She could feel her body fatiguing. It wouldn't be easy. Michiru was guarding herself too well. She needed to find a way to knock the Iwa nin off balance.

Her eyes fell on the holes that had been made by Naruto's seals exploding and an idea began to form in her head.

She intensified her attack and began to lead her unsuspecting opponent towards the desired location, ignoring the ache she felt from her protesting muscles.

Michiru's eyes widened as her foot suddenly slipped as she reached the edge of one of the holes.

"Shit!" she cursed as she began to fall, only to take a brutal punch to the face that sent her flying over that hole and into another one. When her body finally skidded to a halt, she didn't get up.

Sakura smirked. "Take that, bitch." Her eyes rolled back as she fell into a dead faint.

"Sakura!" Naruto, Ino and Lee cried out in worry.

Genma assessed the two fallen opponents waiting to see if they were both down for the count.

He raised his hand up to declare the battle a tie when one of the girls began to stir.

"Wait."

There was a large cry of dismay that filled the air as Michiru clambored back onto her feet.

Genma blinked in surprise at the sight of the girl's resilience. Shrugging his shoulders, he called out the outcome of the battle.

"Winner: Michiru."

Michiru smirked. She knew the younger kunoichi would lose.

She watched as Naruto leaped down to check on his fallen teammate alongside Kakashi.

"Will she be okay?" Naruto asked his sensei as he looked Sakura over.

"She'll be fine. She's just bruised and exhausted. She's not used to this type of exertion," Kakashi stated as he assisted the medical nin in getting Sakura onto a stretcher. "She did well, though. She improved a lot."

"She'll continue to do so," Naruto commented. Sakura may have lost but she'd fought her very best and pulled off a decent strategy. With greater stamina, and more training, Sakura would become an excellent shinobi.

"Don't make me laugh," Michiru butt into their conversation. "The girl doesn't have any potential. She should quit while she's ahead."

Naruto glanced at Michiru so coldly that the girl couldn't help but shudder instinctively in fear.

"You know nothing," the Jinchuuriki responded simply before he returned to the waiting area.

Michiru stayed frozen where she was.

For the first time, she could see how Naruto could be the Yondaime's son. Who knew he could instill such fear into her?


	40. Shikamaru's Growth

**Bijuu lord: **I'm glad you're enjoying the story but I'm sorry to say I won't be done with boards until the end of June.

I hope you all like the chapter. I kept wondering how Shikamaru's fight with Daichi would go so I let it come out naturally and this is what I came up with. Hopefully, it's reasonable.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 39: Shikamaru's Growth

Ino rushed over to the room where Sakura was being treated, worry clear in her eyes.

"Is she okay?" she asked the medic nin that approached her upon entry.

"She should be fine with some time to rest. She's lucky enough to have avoided any broken bones. She's just heavily bruised," the medic explained kindly as she allowed Ino to rush to her friend's side.

Sakura was already awake, though groggy. She smiled as she saw Ino.

"Hi," she greeted the blonde softly.

"How do you feel?" Ino asked anxiously.

"Sore… really sore," Sakura admitted with a wince. "She got me good."

"You gave it back to her with twice the force," Ino retorted.

"I still lost," Sakura voiced her disappointment.

"Only in stamina," Ino argued. "That strategy you pulled off was brilliant. You may have lost the battle but you proved that you're not just a pretty face. You're strong and everyone sees that. You'll only get better. You've got to. Who else can I call my rival?"

Sakura smiled at Ino's attempt to cheer her up. "Thanks Ino."

"No problem," Ino grinned. "Even if you don't make Chuunin this time, there's always next time. We'll become Chuunin together!"

"Promise?"

"It's a promise of a lifetime," Ino assured the pink-haired girl. "I won't go back on my word."

Sakura chuckled. "You're beginning to sound like Naruto now."

"Well, Konoha needs more people like him, don't you think?" Ino winked.

"If you asked me that six months ago, I probably would have said no, but now… I've got to agree with you," Sakura responded.

"It's funny how he's won us all over," Ino mused.

"No kidding. None of us were taken in more so than Shikamaru," Sakura inserted, before looking thoughtful. "Isn't his battle coming up next? You should go out there to cheer him on."

"I don't want to leave you all by your lonesome," Ino frowned. That simply wasn't what friends do.

"She won't be alone," a voice called out. Ino turned to see Lee standing at the door. "I'll keep the lovely Sakura-san company."

Sakura blushed at the way Lee described her. He made her feel special… it was a pity her heart belonged to Sasuke.

Ino looked between them, a small smile appearing on her face. They were cute together. She'd do her best to set them up. Sasuke wouldn't have Sakura's heart for long.

"Do you mind him staying with you, in my place, Sakura?" Ino queried, not wanting to assume anything.

"It's fine, Ino. Watch the battle for the both of us. Shikamaru better win and show that bastard Iwa nin why he and Naruto belong together!" Sakura declared.

Ino smirked. "I'm sure he will."

* * *

"How's Sakura?" Shikamaru asked as Naruto re-entered the waiting area.

"She'll be fine," Naruto declared. "She's a fighter."

"She did well," Shino commended the girl. "She would make a fine Chuunin."

"You all must be blind," Daichi scoffed. "The battle down there was pathetic. There's no way she's Chuunin material."

"That's not for us to decide," Shikamaru answered. "It's up to the judges."

"I bet you're a shoo-in for Chuunin, Shikamaru," Chouji commented, knowing that his friend could pull it off.

"Che, by the time I'm done with him, there won't be anything left to make Chuunin," Daichi vowed, eyes boring into Shikamaru.

Shikamaru met the glare evenly. He could see it in Daichi's eyes… the boy really intended to kill him.

"I'll give you a piece of advice now, Nara. Forfeit before I introduce you to the worst pain you'll ever experience," Daichi warned.

Shikamaru felt Naruto's hand slip into his and he squeezed it in a reassuring manner.

"There was a time where I might have done just that, Tanaka. I was a coward… but not anymore. You've given me a reason to fight. I 'll show you why we of the Nara clan are feared so much," Shikamaru promised. He would use all of his intellectual ability to bring Daichi down.

Daichi sneered, eyes burning with barely contained rage. "Get down into that arena, Nara." He stalked off.

"Good luck," Naruto told Shikamaru. The dark-haired boy nodded in thanks before he started to leave. He paused at the door.

"I'll defeat him, Naruto. Trust me."

"I do," Naruto responded, recalling how Shikamaru had brought him out of his self-induced coma.

Shikamaru smirked before he vanished through the door.

'**You picked a good mate,**' Kyuubi remarked approvingly.

'If he wins this… I might accept that he's worthy of you,' Minato decided grudgingly. The boy was beginning to earn his respect.

Naruto could only smile at his parent's commentary.

"Aren't you scared? If he loses, I don't think that guy will leave your boyfriend alive," Temari asked.

"I trust Shikamaru. If he says he'll win, he will," Naruto voiced his faith.

"If you say so," Temari responded. She didn't think the lazy Nara stood a chance against the aggressive Iwa nin but Shikamaru had surprised them all before.

* * *

Kakashi and Jiraiya watched Shikamaru and Daichi closely. They were just as eager as the Genin to see how this battle would go.

"Do you think he can defeat the Iwa nin?" Jiraiya asked Kakashi.

"I can't say. As a Nara, he's certainly got the edge in intelligence but will that be enough? The Iwa nin's abilities are still mostly unknown," Kakashi responded.

"He better win," Jiraiya said gruffly. "For Naruto's sake."

* * *

Jin was looking forward to this battle. He wanted to see the Yondaime Hokage's brat break before his eyes as his lover was slaughtered.

He would wait until Daichi triumphed before he moved onto the second part of his plan.

* * *

"I'm going to enjoy this," Daichi hissed as Shikamaru joined him on the battlefield.

Shikamaru chose not to react as he waited for Genma to indicate that the battle had begun. He would require all of his concentration to find the best way to deal with Daichi.

It was time to see the outcome of all of his training.

A Nara was dangerous enough as an opponent. A motivated Nara was deadly.

Daichi was going to learn that the hard way.

'_You will regret all of your meddling,_' Shikamaru swore, practically twitching with anticipation.

"Begin," Genma announced.

* * *

"The outcome of this battle has already been decided," Shikaku remarked from where he sat alongside Inoichi and Chouza.

"I've never seen Shikamaru-kun so determined before," Chouza mused. "I'm looking forward to seeing the results."

* * *

Daichi made a series of handseals before slamming his hands onto the ground.

A large fissure appeared, rapidly approaching Shikamaru. He was quick to leap out of the way.

Daichi was taking the aggressive approach to the battle, much like his teammate. Shikamaru was going to need some space to devise a strategy and he wasn't going to get that while he was out in the open.

He was quick to retreat into the trees surrounding the borders of the area, practically melting into the shadows.

Daichi snorted derisively. "Running away already, Nara? You disappoint me. I thought Uzumaki meant more to you than this. Way to let him down."

Shikamaru bit back the retort that was dying to escape his lips. He wouldn't give away his location simply because he wasn't capable of keeping a hold on his emotions. If he wanted to win this, he would have to approach this the same way he approached everything… using logic.

Daichi looked a little plut out that his jeers weren't enough to draw Shikamaru out. He'd been hoping that he could begin thrashing Naruto's lover already. The boy was more level-headed than he thought. He should have expected that from the heir of Konoha's famed Nara clan.

He was going to have to find another way to smoke the kage nin out. It shouldn't be too hard to do.

Despite knowing of Shikamaru's intelligence, Daichi was still underestimating him.

* * *

"Do you think Shikamaru can win this?" Kurenai asked the now frequently asked question as she turned to Asuma. "His opponent is a vicious one."

"His victory is as good as set in stone," Asuma spoke with conviction.

"Why is that?" the Genjutsu Mistress queried, confused.

"Because, for once… he _wants_ to win," Asuma smirked.

* * *

Shikamaru braced himself against a tree as he tried to withstand the way the ground beneath his feet quaked so violently.

He knew Daichi was trying to get him out in the open but that was not going to happen. Shikamaru was right where he needed to be and he wasn't going to lose that particular advantage.

It was time to start up his counter attack…

"Stubborn bastard," Daichi spat as he, once again, failed to get Shikamaru out from the trees. He knew better than to get too close to the shadows. "What do you hope to achieve by hiding? You might as well do us all a favor and forfeit!"

Many people in the audience, bored of the inactivity, voiced their agreement.

It was then that Daichi noticed the shadow that was approaching him. He leapt backwards, eyes widening in surprise as the shadow split into multiple threads, emerging from the ground and lashed out at him.

Shikamaru hadn't demonstrated such skill with his shadow manipulation before… just how much could he have changed in just one month?

He dodged the cords as much as he could, forced to unleash the vines from his seals to counter Shikamaru's assault.

In the end, they arrived at a stale mate with all of Daichi's vines wrapped up with Shikamaru's shadow cords.

"You've got a lot better," Daichi was forced to concede. He hadn't expected Shikamaru to have stood the slightest chance against him. It looked like he was proven wrong.

Again, all he was met with was silence.

Shikamaru suddenly forced all of the shadow cords to fuse, obliterating the vines that had been wrapped up with them and the now large shadow surged towards Daichi, weaving through the new vines he created in his panicked attempt to keep Shikamaru's shadow away.

He didn't get the chance to leap out of the way as the shadow broke apart again and wrapped around him, binding him in place and not providing him with any movement whatsoever.

* * *

"He got him!" Ino cheered from where she was watching the battle eagerly. She knew Shikamaru was going to win but she hadn't expected him to have gained the advantage so fast in the fight. Daichi had looked like a difficult opponent, after all. It appeared that while she was his teammate, she had underestimated his potential just like everybody else. "Finish it, Shikamaru!"

* * *

Jin's eyes narrowed in displeasure. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. The Nara should be dead by now and the Namikaze should be broken. Daichi was his most prized pawn… there was no way he could lose to such a weakling.

And yet… here they were with Daichi just a few seconds away from losing the battle after the Nara had only made a few short moves to subdue him.

"You disappoint me…" he voiced his disgust before he stalked off. It appeared that if he wanted to get anything done, he would have to do it himself. Iruka's time was now running short.

* * *

Michiru couldn't help but gape openly at Daichi's capture. How could this have happened? How could he have possibly _let_ this happen?

Her eyes fell on Naruto, whose eyes were bright with surprise and excitement. She couldn't help but glower in his direction.

He may be happy at the moment but he wouldn't be soon, not with what her sensei had planned.

* * *

"I've never seen Shikamaru move this aggressively," Asuma mused as he observed the battle. To many eyes, the few moves Shikamaru made wouldn't look aggressive, but to those who knew him, they most certainly were.

Shikamaru hadn't spent as much time testing his opponent out as he normally did before he made his move. He saw his chance and struck… now all that was left to see was how this battle would end.

* * *

Daichi struggled uselessly against his bonds, teeth gritted in frustration.

This was not supposed to be how this battle played out. He was supposed to _maim_ Shikamaru… not fall directly into his trap!

He looked forward as Shikamaru emerged from the shadows, a dark look on his face.

He glared as Shikamaru stalked towards him at a leisurely place, not the slightest bit worried about Daichi being able to escape.

Shikamaru leaned forward to whisper in his ears. "Don't mess with my precious people."

With that, Shikamaru drew back his fist and dealt a devastating punch to Daichi's face, knocking him out instantly.

Genma couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at the sight. It wasn't everyday that he witnessed a Nara winning a battle by actually using physical force to deal the final move. They usually only used their shadows to do all of the dirty work.

He raised a hand above his head. "Winner: Nara Shikamaru."

The stadium was silent for a moment before cheers broke out.

* * *

"Who knew Shikamaru could be so badass?" Kiba whistled from where he sat with Hinata.

Hinata simply smiled, pleased at the outcome. Shikamaru had gained his well-deserved victory. She could only hope that this would help lead to the resolution of the problems that had kept him and Naruto apart.

Close to them, Kotetsu and Izumo couldn't help but marvel over how the Finals were going. Each battle so far had a multitude of surprises.

The Dead Last of the current Rookies had defeated the Rookie of the Year of the last year's Genin, the weak pink-haired girl had been almost on par with the vicious Iwa kunoichi, and the lazy Nara ended up being… not-so-lazy. The three least promising shinobi of the current generation had shown incredible improvement in such a short period of time. If this was how it was, they had no idea what to expect of the upcoming battle between Sasuke and Gaara.

"This has got to be the most exciting Chuunin Exam Final I have ever seen," Kotetsu mused with a raised eyebrow.

"No kidding. This year's Rookies are pretty scary," Izumo agreed. "Who knows what they'll pull off in the future?"

* * *

Shikamaru watched as Daichi was taken out of the stadium by the medics, a feeling of satisfaction coursing through him. He had disliked the Iwa nin from the moment he first met him due to how he tormented Naruto.

"Shikamaru!" he heard a voice call out and he looked up just in time to see Naruto leap down from the viewing area, headed right for him.

"…Troublesome," Shikamaru muttered as Naruto landed on him, knocking him to the ground. He was only fortunate that the wind had helped both in slowing Naruto's descent and cushioning their fall.

The brunette looked up at the ecstatic blonde straddling his waist with raised eyebrows. "You'll never change, will you, Naruto?" he remarked dryly, a fond look in his eyes.

"Nope," Naruto declared proudly, pulling Shikamaru into a seated position so that he could plaster an affectionate kiss on his lips, ignoring everybody around them. He pulled back with a soft look. "You did amazing."

"Thanks," Shikamaru smiled as they both got onto their feet.

"I'm sorry that I ever doubted you…" Naruto apologized. "I just wanted to protect you."

"I know you did," Shikamaru responded in understanding. "But know this… you may try to protect everyone, but even you need protection sometimes. That's what I plan to do, so just… have a little faith."

"I will," Naruto promised, taking Shikamaru's hand into his.

"Am I interrupting something?" a dry voice suddenly rang out. Both Genin whirled around to see who was speaking and gaped in surprise.

Sasuke had finally arrived.


	41. Beginning of Chaos

A/N: I am _really_ sorry that I took so long to get this chapter up. Boards kept me occupied until the end of June and then I got thrust into the most intense clinical rotation I could ever got (General Surgery) which gave me absolutely no time to even think about the story. I'm on a less intense rotation now which provided me the time to make this for you (Pediatrics), so hopefully you'll all enjoy it.

The latest manga files for Naruto have been pretty damn amazing. I'm going to have to figure out what to do regarding the Madara-Obito situation in this story, given that for this story's "Tobi," given that Minato saw his face already.

I'm going to try to start showing more redeemable characteristics for Sasuke. He's proving rather stubborn but we'll see how things go.

**Bijuu lord:** I'm sorry for the delay. I really thought I'd get to get a chapter in by the end of June but I hadn't known how intense the rotations would be. I hope this chapter makes up for it.

**Myroseyangel**: I'm contemplating on the Obito/Madara situation. I think I'm going to have them both. The creeper is definitely Madara but Obito should have a role as well.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto… *hangs head in defeat*

* * *

Chapter Forty: Beginning of Chaos

Sasuke smirked at the dumbstruck look on Naruto and Shikamaru's faces. He was happier with the fact that he was the one who put that look on their faces in the first place. It was good that they were finally learning to be in awe of the Uchiha…

That is, until he was met with a fist to the face, courtesy of an angry Naruto.

"Where the hell were you this entire time, bastard? You nearly got yourself disqualified! How could you get here so late? Even _Kakashi-sensei_ got here before you!" he yelled, angry with Sasuke's irresponsibility. He was shedding a bad light on Team Seven as a whole.

Sasuke scowled. How dare Naruto strike him?

He was about to retaliate when Shikamaru flanked Naruto with a fierce glare on his face, daring Sasuke to try anything. There was something in the Nara's eye that made Sasuke actually heed the warning. He wasn't going to admit that Shikamaru had succeeded in intimidating him.

"I have my reasons," he replied vaguely. He didn't want to give away his trump card so easily.

It wasn't hard for the observant Nara to tell what Sasuke had been up to.

"You were training," Shikamaru mused, looking at the scratches and bruises that littered Sasuke's skin. "You threw the entire Final exam into disarray because you wanted a little extra time to train?"

Sasuke growled at Shikamaru. "Shut up, Nara. This has got nothing to do with you… or you, dobe. Now back off and let me have my fight."

"I'm afraid that you're going to have to wait for that now, Uchiha-san," Genma interrupted things before they could escalate any further. "Due to your tardiness, your battle with Subaku no Gaara has been pushed back until the end. We still have one more battle to go. It's Akimichi Chouji and Temari's turn to fight. You're lucky enough to still be getting the chance to fight at all. By all means, you should be disqualified."

Sasuke sneered. He knew what battle everybody wanted to see and it wasn't the one between the wind bitch and fat ass. Nevertheless, he had already interrupted things enough. He'd concede for now.

Things worked to his favor, however, when Temari's voice rang out.

"I forfeit," she declared. She had been weighing her options throughout the other battles. It would be best for her to follow in Kankurou's footsteps and conserve her chakra for dealing with the invasion.

While it was their intention to reach out to the Suna forces and get them to withdraw, getting them to listen and dealing with Oto would not be easy. They would need every resource they could afford.

"Another forfeit?" Genma frowned. He wondered if this had anything to do with the invasion the Sandaime had told them about. If it was, it meant he was going to have to be more alert. He turned to Sasuke, who was looking expectantly at him. He fought back the urge to roll his eyes. The village's last Uchiha was acting spoiled. He thought Kakashi would have beat that out of him by now.

He turned to Naruto, chuckling at the memory of Naruto decking the arrogant Uchiha. Maybe he would do that instead of the Copy Nin.

He turned back to Sasuke. "It looks like it's your lucky day, kid. You get to fight now, after all. I'll let you know this… due to your tardiness, you have forfeit any chance of becoming a Chuunin even if you do win this fight."

Sasuke didn't really care. He hadn't entered the Chuunin Exams to actually become a Chuunin. He just wanted to fight strong opponents to measure himself against. His eyes fell on Gaara. It looked like it was finally time to prove his own worth. If he could defeat Gaara… he would be one step closer to being strong enough to beat Itachi.

"I don't care. Just announce the battle already," Sasuke replied coldly.

'_I really don't like this kid…_' Genma decided, his eyebrow twitching as he looked up to the viewer's box. "Would Subaku no Gaara please come down for the upcoming battle?"

"We should go up now," Shikamaru advised Naruto and the boy nodded.

"I want to say good luck to Gaara," Naruto voiced his desire.

They were about to head up when Sasuke called out to Naruto.

"Oi, dobe. I'm your teammate, shouldn't you be wishing _me_ luck?"

Naruto turned back to him, raising an eyebrow. "Well, do you want it?"

"You should be wishing me well, not my opponent," Sasuke voiced his conviction.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "I don't have to choose in between," he declared. "Good luck, Sasuke."

"Hn."

"Why ask for luck when you just grunt at it?" Naruto grumbled as he and Shikamaru distanced themselves from the battlefield.

"I suppose it's the principle of the matter," Shikamaru responded. "He didn't like the thought of you wishing his 'enemy' well."

"Well, Gaara's as good as my brother," Naruto responded. "I won't choose Sasuke over him, even if he is my teammate. If he let up a bit on that attitude, I'd care for him just as much."

"I don't think he likes to share," Shikamaru commented. He knew the only reason Naruto was so cold to Sasuke was because of Sasuke's arrogance. Naruto had a great ability to forgive but Sasuke's jealousy had rebuffed any chance that a friendship could have bloomed between them. Shikamaru saw it as a good thing. He didn't want to see Naruto get consumed by Sasuke's darkness.

* * *

Gaara was heading down towards the arena, already expecting that he would meet up with Naruto on the way there.

He was looking forward to the battle. He wanted to bring Sasuke down a notch. Maybe if he defeated Sasuke, the Uchiha would learn a valuable lesson about pride and actually treat his brother better. He would like it if Naruto's team dynamics improved. It would make things a lot better.

Now all he had to do was find the right way to do that…

He was broken from his thoughts when a cloaked man blocked his path. He frowned.

"Move aside," he ordered, not liking being stalled.

His sand stirred around him restlessly.

The man moved through hand signs faster than Gaara could follow and before the Suna Jinchuuriki could do anything, a bright light engulfed him and his mind went blank.

Kabuto slipped away from the dazed Gaara with a smirk hidden behind the ANBU mask he was hiding behind.

Orochimaru would be pleased now that the last loose end in his invasion plan was dealt with…

Gaara blinked as he came back to himself. He wondered for a moment why he was wasting time just standing in the middle of the stairwell before he brushed it off. Never mind that. He had more important things to do… like kill the Uchiha and provide his blood to Mother.

He began to walk again when he met with another interruption.

"Gaara!" a loud exclamation filled the air as Naruto rushed up to him. The boy aimed to glomp him when he found himself rebuffed by the sand.

Naruto pouted. "If you didn't want a hug, all you had to do was say so. "I just wanted to wish you good luck."

Gaara stared at the blonde impassively, wondering why the annoying creature was bothering to talk to him. Did it look like he cared? Who was he to dare attempt to touch him? More importantly, _why_ did he want to touch him?

Pushing the thoughts away, Gaara glowered. "Move aside."

Naruto's brows furrowed. This wasn't the Gaara he knew. He hadn't talked to him so coldly since they had first met.

"Is everything alright, Gaara?" he inquired, trying to step towards him again, only to be pushed away by the sand once more.

"I won't repeat myself again," Gaara said evenly. "Move aside or I'll _kill_ you."

Naruto's eyes widened and he recoiled, hurt in his eyes.

"What's your deal? Naruto's just worried about you!" Shikamaru snapped.

Gaara didn't look the slightest bit remorseful. "I don't care."

He continued to walk off.

Shikamaru glared at his back. "I wonder what's up his ass right now…"

Naruto stared after Gaara, debating on what to do. In the end, he simply couldn't bring himself to leave Gaara alone when he was like this.

"Gaara, wait!" he protested, chasing after the other Jinchuuriki.

It was only Minato's quick movements that deflected the sand that had rushed at Naruto with the attempt to crush him.

Minato shot a confused and reprimanding look Gaara's way but recoiled in surprise when he realized something.

Gaara couldn't see him. He just glared at Naruto once more before teleporting away.

"We need to get to Kakashi and Jiraiya-sensei, Naruto. There's something seriously wrong with Gaara," he declared.

Naruto could only nod in agreement, feeling his heart sink.

They had been preparing themselves for the upcoming invasion but he hadn't suspected that Gaara would become a casualty…

* * *

"Looks like Sasuke gets to fight now after all," Kakashi mused as he observed the Uchiha who was waiting impatiently in the center of the arena for Gaara to arrive. He wasn't pleased with the brat he was cursed to call a student.

He couldn't exacly be upset over his tardiness, given that it would make him an absolute hypocrite but Sasuke's sheer disregard over everything and everyone was beginning to wear on his already thinning patience.

"He better show good results from that last minute training or I'll kick his ass when this is all over," Kakashi promised.

"If that's the case, then the Uchiha's shit out of luck," Jiraiya decided. "There's no way that he can beat Gaara after I spent the last month training him."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow. "You spent the last month training a foreign nin to defeat Konoha's Last Uchiha. How unpatriotic of you."

"Please," Jiraiya snorted. "Gaara has more of the Will of Fire in him than Sasuke could ever hope to possess."

"That is sadly true," Kakashi remarked, thinking of his fallen teammate. Obiot would never forgive him for letting his last living non-traitorous relative turn out the way he was.

It was at that moment that Gaara appeared in front of Gaara in a swirl of sand.

"It looks like things are about to start," Jiraiya mused, watching the scene with interest. He was eager to see his student defeat one of the many threats to his godson's safety.

"Ero-Sennin!" a familiar voice rang out and the two white-haired shinobi turned to see Naruto and Shikamaru rushing over to him.

Seeing Naruto's pale face, Jiraiya grew concerned. "What's wrong?"

"You've got to stop the battle," Naruto exclaimed. Jiraiya and Kakashi looked at each other in confusion.

"Why?" Kakashi inquired.

"Gaara will kill Sasuke!" Naruto reported with conviction.

"I'm sure Gaara wou;ld't go that far no matter how much he wants to kick Sasuke's ass. He's suppressed his murderous thoughts away with Shuukaku, had he not?" Jiraiya commented.

"That's the thing. The Gaara we know wouldn't kill him the Gaara _before_ we met him would," Naruto said.

"I'm not following," Kakashi declared, confused.

"There's something wrong with Gaara. He's acting like he did when we first met him. he acted like he didn't even _know_ me… like he didn't remember everything that we've been through," Naruto admitted, eyes shining with hurt.

"It gets worse," Minato finally spoke up, looking grave. "He can't see me anymore… somebody interfered with our bond."

Now, Jiraiya and Kakashi fully understood the magnitude of the problem.

"… Is it gone?" Jiraiya asked, referring to the bond.

Minato shook his head. "It's still there. Gaaaara simply doesn't acknowledge it. He doesn't know it's there."

"When was it established?" Kakashi asked.

"The night of the day we first met," Naruto declared.

"And he's acting the way he did before you met… it seems like somebody tampered with his memories," Jiraiya realized. "We have to stop the battle." This must be Orochimaru's doing…

"Too late," Shikamaru replied, gazing at the arena where Sasuke and Gaara were already fighting. He felt like he had missed half of the conversation somehow.

Kakashi and Jiraiya swore. Now they coulnd't do much without Orochimaru realizing that they knew what he was up to.

"We've got to do something!" Naruto cried out. He hated seeing his brother like this… so cold… and so broken. All of the work he, his dad, Ino and Jiraiya had put into healing Gaara's heart had gone down the drain.

"I'm sorry, Naruto… but we can't do anything… yet," Kakashi apologized, hating that he couldn't fulfill his little brother's desperate request.

Naruto grit his teeth and was about to argue when Minato put a hand on his shoulder.

"We'll save Gaara, Naruto, don't worry," Minato promised, eyes narrowing with determination. "Orochimaru will regret messing with my children…"

"**You mean our children,**" Kyuubi added her own opinion. Hadn't Gaara suffered enough with her insane younger brother's horrible manipulations?

Naruto relaxed with his father's promise. Minato would never let him down. "What about Sasuke? He's going to get hurt."

"If it looks like Gaara is going to kill him, we'll step in," Jiraiya assured the blonde.

"Why are you so concerned about Sasuke?" Shikamaru wondered. "You don't even like him."

"I don't like how he treats all of us," Naruto agreed but his eyes were shining with a sort of deeper understanding. "But he's simply lashing out. If I had lost my parents the way he had his and if I didn't have any of you guys here with me, I could have ended up the same way he did. I'm going to try to show him that he doesn't have to do things alone… nor be such an arrogant asshole about it."

Shikamaru blinked in surprise. Naruto always saw the good in everybody. He saw redemption where nobody else could. "Why do you try so hard for him when he doesn't give you the time of day?"

"He's my teammate," Naruto shrugged. "I'll be there for him even if he tries to push me away. I'm going to do my best to bring him out of the self-imposed darkness. What kind of Hokage would I be if I didn't even try to help out my own comrades?"

Shikamaru stared at Naruto, surprised by what he said. It was now that he began to realize just how good of a Hokage Naruto would be. He could probably give the Yondaime Hokage a run for his money with his charisma. His one weakness was that naïve belief that everyone could be redeemed… Shikamaru would just have to work extra hard to make sure that those beliefs didn't come back to haunt his future Hokage. He would support him to the very end.

"I can't wait to see how your reign as Hokage will go," he said. "It will be the dawn of a new age."

Despite all of his worry, Naruto couldn't help the bright smile that crossed his lips at Shikamaru's compliment. It took Shikamaru's breath away. This wasn't the smile Naruto used to hide behind. It was one of true happiness.

"I trust that you'll be there with me. What can a Hokage do without his right hand?" Naruto responded. "When I become Hokage, I intend to make you my main adviser, so you better get used to hard work."

Shikamaru groaned in complaint, mostly to keep up appearances. His put out look quickly morphed into a smirk. "The things I do for you, my troublesome blonde…"

Naruto just grinned.

Minato, Kakashi and Jiraiya glanced at each other. Shikamaru was good at making Naruto forget about his worry. Maybe he was good for Naruto after all.

* * *

Sasuke leaped out of the way as Gaara attempted to catch him with his sand again.

The speed he had gained during the month had certainly helped him keep up with Gaara but he still couldn't break through Gaara's guard. The sand kept getting in the way. He would need to use another strategy.

A dark smirk crossed his face. He knew exactly what he was going to do.

He moved quickly out of the way of Gaara's subsequent attacks and settled high on one of the arena walls. He was going to need the room.

He started going through a series of handseals, a look of pure malevolence on his face.

The sound of a thousand chirping birds filled the air.

* * *

Kakashi's eye widened in disbelief as he witnessed Sasuke bring out _his_ signature move.

Minato whirled on him, incredulous. "You taught him _Chidori_?"

"I – I didn't," Kakashi stuttered, trying to comprehend how Sasuke got his prized jutsu. The answer came to him quickly and suddenly, everything made sense. "He copied it last night."

"That's why he was late today," Shikamaru caught on quickly.

Kakashi's eye narrowed with barely contained anger. How _dare_ Sasuke steal his jutsu? Kakashi had chosen not to teach him that move for a reason. The boy was far too unstable or such a technique at the current moment.

Sasuke should consider himself damn lucky that Kakashi was unable to remove him from the team without the Council breathing down his neck, otherwise, Kakashi would beat Sasuke into an early grave. He was already formulating ways to make the rest of Sasuke's stay on Team Seven absolute hell.

"He's going to hurt Gaara!" Naruto voiced his horror. Lightning trumped Earth. Gaara's sand wouldn't be enough to protect him.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," Minato responded. He had a plan that would not only protect Gaara but hopefully shock Gaara into realizing the bond's presence. Unfortunately, he didn't think Naruto was going to like it very much…

Just as Sasuke was about to stab straight through Gaara's sand sphere and into the boy himself, Minato intercepted the blow… using his own body.

All around the arena, various individuals had various reactions.

Naruto turned deadly pale and collapsed into Shikamaru's arms, who looked confused.

Kakashi and Jiraiya sat frozen in their seats, shellshocked.

Hinata let out a gasp, covering her mouth to mask her shock as Kiba turned to look at herr curiously.

Ino shot up from her seat with her mouth gaping open as she saw the Yondaime Hokage impale himself _again_ for the sake of saving his son.

Gaara stared in incomprehension at the transparent blonde man that had taken the blow for him as his sand sphere collapse. He flinched back as the man turned to him with a bloodied smile.

"Are you okay, Gaara?" Minato queried. He was surprised that the blow had actually pierced through him. No previous attacks had ever affected him like this since he'd gained this state all those years ago. He thought back to the battle in the Forest of Death, he really was becoming more solid…

Gaara's cold visage began to waver as he tried to make sense of the look in the stranger's eyes. He had never been given a look like that before. What was it?

_Love_.

Gaara freaked out and his anguished cry filled the air as the last of his sanity left him.

Minato's eyes widened at the sight, barely making note of Sasuke pulling his arm out of his body as he backed away from the crazed redhead. He did, however, notice that his body was healing rapidly until there was no sign of him having been stabbed. He wondered if this was Kyuubi or the Shinigami's doing… He pushed those thoughts to the side. They weren't important at the moment. He lurched forward towards Gaara in worry but he paused as Gaara glared at him with eerie golden yellow eyes.

Shuukaku was beginning to emerge.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Sasuke exclaimed, not understanding why Gaara had gone completely mental.

Gaara ignored Sasuke, eyes completely focused on Minato. "Don't look at me with those eyes. They only lie. Stop. Looking. At. ME!"

He sent a large wave of sand towards Minato, only to grow frustrated when Minato simply deflected it with a wave of his hand.

"_Enough_, Gaara," Minato spoke firmly.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Gaara growled, lashing out again. Minato dodged easily.

'_Who is he trying to hit?'_ the forgotten Sasuke thought to himself. He wasn't going to waste any more time, though. He would finish Gaara off while he was distracted.

He never got the chance as feathers began dropping down from the sky.

Minato recognized the Genjutsu for what it really was.

The Oto-Suna Invasion had begun.


End file.
